The Mad Happenings
by Saiyu
Summary: Whose side are you on? The Humans or the Mutants? The Government or the X-Men? Or maybe you're on a totally different side. Fight for a noble cause, because tomorrow there might not be one. Full Summary Inside-3rd Story in the Alyce series.
1. Chapter 1

**"The Mad Happenings"**

Full Summary:

Whose side are you on? The Humans or the Mutants? The Government or the X-Men? Or maybe you're on a totally different side. Fight for a noble cause, because tomorrow there might not be one. The Mutant Registration Act is coming down hard. Soon, riots break out in the streets, people are getting hurt---some even killed. When the riots hit too close to home, Alyce begins to wonder if she's been on the right side of things. Join Alyce, once more, in The Mad Happenings.

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Prof. Jean Grey 9/15/09. Arch.01354 . - _'The Mutant Registration Act. It's been something we were all biting our nails about. The students, up until this point, have remained oblivious about it. Which is a good thing. They knew of the hardships on mutants in this world, but now, now is when it's going to slap them in their faces._ _I hope this passes over soon.'- _

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**Chapter One**: I'd Come For You

**New York City – 1 week ago**

He felt her hand slipping. Her tiny, delicate hand slipping away from his as they ran. But he wasn't going to let her go, not here. He pulled her close to him, getting another grip on her whole hand and holding it tight. One glance back and he could see all the fear in her eyes, all the pain in her face. He was only going to focus on her, getting _her_ out of here. It was hard when everything around you had gone to chaos, but, he was going to her safe. No matter what.

As the pair ran, the world around them was trapped in it's own perpetual state of mind. The loud car alarms, making it so he couldn't so much as yell to her without his words being droned out. The heat from the cars, the ones that had been rocked over and set on fire. The broken glass on the floor and the broken fire hydrants that were gushing out with water. That and more, but the most scariest thing were the people.

The people. It was like they had all gone mad. Bats in their hands, some with crowbars. He pushed through the sea of people, pulling her closer to him. He slowed down his pace and she bumped into him, confused. He couldn't stop to talk with her just yet. They were still in danger....actually she was in more danger than he, but he wasn't worried about himself. Only for her. Her brown hair; still calm amidst the chaos. Her brown eyes; still large and vibrant. He gathered her in his arms, shielding her from a large group of people that were walking by. They were chanting some sort of song, the noise just coming to him as a series of chatters. The only thing he could thing of, besides saving her, was this;

"_How could they tell who's a mutant and who isn't?" _

As far as he was concerned, they couldn't. And that was exactly why they were all so angry. They all hated mutants here. The people who didn't just kept quiet, in fear of getting tangled up in the mess. Those who did, those who tried to help the people they were beating on the streets, got the same turn out. He looked human enough. His black hair and his hazel eyes _seemed_ human enough. But to all these people, all these rioters, it didn't matter.

He was a mutant, but they didn't know that. She was a human....but they didn't know that. If they even got the slightest suspicion that he was a mutant and she was with him, they would both get hurt.

"I'm scared." She suddenly murmured, trying to hug herself deeper into him to feel safe. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "I just want to go home."

"I know you do, but we can't." He hugged her as tight as he could, leading her into a nearby alley way. For now it seemed that they could finally have a few moments to themselves. He wanted to use his powers so bad. To just take her up and fly away with her, to create a shield and fight anyone off who dared touch them. Who dared touch _her_. He knew he was out numbered, no matter if he had powers or not and hurting someone wasn't on his agenda. His brain was confused, he needed to get her somewhere safe...but where?

"Can't we.....can't we just call my sister." It was more of a statement than a question. She patted her jacket pockets, trying to look for her phone. She knew her sister would come get her. Her sister was someone she knew she could depend on to help them out of this situation. The more she patted on her jacket, on her pants, she realized her phone wasn't on her. She let out a breath of annoyance and looked up at her partner with sad eyes. "I don't have it." She mumbled. She had just remembered, now of all times, that she had long lost her purse when they were running. She looked down at her shoes, her bangs falling into her eyes.

"We can stay here for a bit more and see if the riot dies down...." He looked around the alley, and once he deemed it safe, he walked over toward the street looking out to see if what he said would even happen.

She closed her eyes and looked for a place to sit. She ended up sitting on an old milk crate and she was thankful. Her legs ached and her ankles were sore. When the riot started happening, he came for the second she had called. She didn't have time to pack when they started throwing things through her windows. He just came in, grabbed her by her hand, placed a kiss on her lips and ran out the back door. If he hadn't been there when he did, she was sure she would've gotten dragged out of her house and into the street.

Her mind thought once more about calling her sister. Even though she didn't have her phone, she knew there were other ways to call. Even though her and her sister were miles apart, she knew her sister would fight to come get her. "Let's just try to call Ki--"

"We have to go." He suddenly spoke, rushing over to her and grabbing her by her hand once more. He had seen a group of rioters come walking their way. No doubt to check the alley for anyone hiding. To them, anyone hiding meant they were a mutant. He wasn't going to risk them getting interrogated by a group of men. She squeaked, her ankle caving. They had been running so much, she was tired. Exhausted. And she was sure he was feeling the same way, but he shown no signs of it.

Hearing her beep, he quickly turned around and motioned for her to get on his back. She did so, awkwardly and wrapped her arms around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her legs, to keep her steady and set down the alley. She was small enough for him to do that, carry her and not get tired. He could probably keep her on his back for hours on end. She was light as a feather and he was relieved.

He was trying his best to not run, but to keep an even steady pace. It really was taking him everything he had to not burst out running and leap himself into the air. He smiled upon thinking that, for the first time he had done that with her on his back she nearly freaked.

"Where are we going?" She asked, her voice close to his ear, her breath tickling his skin.

"You'll see when we get there. We're going to be safe, I promise you." He spoke, lifting her up a bit as he continued walking. He could hear the troupe of men enter the alley and he prayed that he had gotten far enough from their view. He didn't know how everything had gotten to shit so quickly, but it had.

"Julian...." She mumbled, resting her cheek on his head. She felt her eyes droop with sleep and she wasn't planning on fighting it. She knew she could fall asleep and when she woke up he would still be with her. Julian would still be with her.

"Yes, Claire?" He asked, waiting for her to answer. He smiled hearing the tiredness in her voice. A part of him settled down, felt at ease, knowing she felt safe enough to fall asleep. "Claire?" He questioned, realizing he had lost himself in his own thoughts and she had grown silent. She mumbled something, obviously she had fallen asleep, but she woke up once more, placing a small kiss on the back of his neck.

"....I love you."

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A/N: :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**: What's Up, People?

"Any other secrets I should know about, Logan?"

Alyce looked up from the checker board toward the gruffy Wolverine. He shrugged and pointed at her side of the board, causing her to scowl. They had been playing checkers for the better half of the morning and so far he was winning. They had played a few games already and he _always _found some way to win. Alyce was convinced that he was a checker master at some point in his life, or that he had some sort of checker related power he kept to himself. Every move he made simply made her feel more juvenile and stupid.

Upon seen Alyce lost in thought, Logan snapped his fingers and leaned back in his chair. "You gunna make that move, kid?" He asked, a small smirk on his face as Alyce glared at him with her icy blue eyes. He stretched his arms and looked around for a nearby clock. It was still early in the morning but to him it felt as if it was late afternoon.

"I'll make my move as soon as you tell me one thing..." She looked back down at the board, scratching her head and fixing her black hair into a ponytail. She pressed her finger on one of her red checker pieces and suspiciously eyed Logan. "Were you a checker master?"

Smiling, Logan rolled his eyes and motioned for the girl to hurry up. They shared a glum look and Alyce played her move. She hesitated at first but finally pushed the red circular piece to the next square. She plopped her elbow on the table and rested her head in her hand. She only had seven pieces left on the board, while Logan had fifteen. Alyce figured that either way, sooner or later, she would beat him at this game.

"Wasn't a checker master." Logan mumbled, lifting up one of his black pieces and had it devour a defenseless red circle. "Just learned how to play the ol' fashioned way—-"

"Because of course, you know _all _about old fashioned." Alyce bit back her laughter as she finished her sentence, knowing Logan would be giving her 'the look'. She sighed and raised her hands up in defense, leaning back on her chair and looking outside the window. It was a chilly day but you wouldn't have known that unless you were, actually, outside. The trees that lay on the Mansion's front lawn were still bright green and a few flowers were still hanging about. The mornings birds hadn't left for the south, but give or take a few months and they would begin to leave.

As Alyce made her next move, she began to notice a few kids stirring around the Mansion, obviously just waking up. The lot of them were headed to the kitchen, ready to scavenge for easy food to eat. Some of the others, with food already in hand were making their ways to different parts of the Mansion, ready to start their day. It was just a regular Saturday morning to Alyce, aside from Logan owning her in checkers.

"I think we both know who wins this round." Logan spoke as he made one last final move. It was a rare thing for him to be up so early. It was actually a pretty funny story. About a week ago he had spotted Alyce in the day room playing checkers with her cousin, Bella, who was too busy trying to not fall asleep. Why the girls were up so early, he hadn't had an idea. But he was sure it was for some silly reason. Instead of watching, as he had planned to do, he had taken Bella's place. Ever since then it had been some what of a daily thing. He could get used to it....the winning, not the waking up early.

Angrily, Alyce looked down at the board and patted her hand on the table. The checker board began to melt into a black mold on the table, completely disappearing in a matter of seconds. "I'll win eventually." Alyce mumbled, yawning and rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"Yea, right. You keep tellin' that to yourself." The Wolverine got up from his chair and ruffled Alyce's hair, taking his hand back in time to avoid a small slap. The two shared another glum look before Logan waved, walking off to another part of the Mansion to do.....the things that Wolverine's do. Most likely, he was headed to the kitchen to get his share of cereal before it was depleted by the students.

Alyce tapped her fingers on the table, staring off into space. Things had been calm at the Mansion, not that calm wasn't good but she had been dying for some sort of thing to occur. She had gotten so used to things happening that now she was craving it. About a month ago, Emma Frost had showed up and done wonders on the school. Things had gotten completely flipped but in a matter of days things had gotten back to normal once she had left. In a few weeks would mark the one year anniversary of Alyce's first mishap with a man named William Stryker. Anything but good memories....for both of the events.

Sighing, Alyce made a mental note to do a training session. It had been a while since she had really used her powers and a good training session would calm her nerves. Alyce got up from her chair and made her way into the, now bustling, hallway. All around her students were buzzing, talking to each other and laughing. She tugged on her shirt, wishing she had worn a long sleeved one instead. Someone had opened one of the windows, in a matter of seconds the entire hallway turned into one big icebox.

"Geez, it's cold!"

Alyce looked over to her side. There, smoothing out her bed head, was Kitty Pryde. She shivered and smiled up to Alyce, pointing at her hair. "It looks decent? Not like I just rolled out of bed?" She asked as the two walked down the hall, trying to find the open window.

"Considering that you _did _just roll out of bed, it looks fine." The two shared a smile as Alyce found the open window and closed it shut, breathing a sigh of relief as she did so. "Better?"

"Much." Kitty beamed, rubbing her arms and rocking from side to side. Alyce marveled at how awake the young girl looked. At this hour most of the kids looked like zombies...Alyce being one of them. "Are you going to get breakfast?" Kitty asked, breaking the silence as the two continued to walk.

"I was thinking about it. But I should probably wake up Bella---"

"Oh yea!" Kitty interrupted, taking a step in front of Alyce and placing her hands on Alyce's shoulders. Alyce let out a huff, knowing full well where the girl was headed. Whenever Kitty interrupted someone it usually meant she was planning some sort of get together. "I have two things to tell you." Kitty jumped up and down with excitement, taking her hands off of Alyce's shoulders and clapping them together.

"Oh no, not _two_ things." Alyce grumbled, more to herself than to Kitty. Everyone knew that Kitty could be a talker when she wanted to be, sometimes at the wrong hours of the day. Alyce often thought if Kitty knew that herself and if she ever used her talking ability to her advantage. Who knew?

"Well, number one---" Kitty held up her finger and wagged it. "---everyone is getting together for lunch. You in?"

Saying no meant getting bombarded by Kitty until you said yes. Saying yes meant getting bombarded by Kitty anyway. It was a lose/lose situation no matter how Alyce tried to put it together. As much as she would've preferred to eat lunch with Bella or just with John it would be nice to eat with the rest of the group. Alyce slowly nodded, Kitty on the verge of excitement. How was someone so bubbly at this hour of the morning?

Kitty held up another finger once Alyce nodded her agreement. "The second thing.....my sister is coming to visit and I want everyone to meet her!"

"Alri---wait....you have a sister?" Alyce was finding out new things about people everyday it seemed. The pair started walking again, rounding a corner and stopping at the grand staircase. "Since when did you have a sister?" Alyce asked once more, noticing how Kitty was busy thinking to herself.

"Since...._ever_?" Kitty laughed at Alyce, noticing how confused she looked. "Well, fine, she's not my _real_ sister. She's my _half _sister. But it still counts, we're just as close."

"I thought you would've mentioned her sooner." Alyce pondered as she shrugged her shoulders. Meeting another Pryde did sound like fun. "Sounds good, can't wait to meet her. When is she coming?" Alyce took a step up on the staircase, trying her best to indicate to Kitty that she was, indeed, leaving. If she didn't make the initiative, she knew Kitty would talk her to death.

Kitty tapped her lips gently with her fingers, thinking. "Later on in the month, I have to give her another call to plan everything---" Another voice was heard in the hallway, calling Kitty anxiously. "Any who, I'll talk to you later." Kitty waved and skipped her way over to another girl, the two beginning to chat as soon as they were in arm's length.

Another Pryde girl.

Hopefully, whoever this girl was didn't talk up a storm like her sister. _Hopefully_. Alyce stopped mid step on her way up the stairs, a question popping into her mind. Once she had turned around to look for Kitty, the girl was already gone. Was this Pryde girl a mutant? Or not? A question for another time. Alyce finished trotting up the steps and found her way to her room. She leaned her ear on the door lightly, listening for any signs that Bella might still be sleeping. If so, Alyce was already thinking of a funny way to wake her dearest cousin. If she wasn't sleeping, Alyce was sure she could scare Bella, anyway.

Holding back a smile Alyce placed her hand on the doorknob and slowly opened the bedroom door.......

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A/N: Ok, so...for those of you reading...(if there are any), Kitty's sister is NOT mine. She was made up by fellow reader, KyroxIsxSmexy. She'll be making her full on debut in a few chapters, so sit tight. Details in the third chapter will start hinting off at the main plot of the story so it won't drag on for a while before the action starts. 8D


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**: Turisma

Her heart had finally settled down, her breathing back to normal. She patted her chest once more and took in a deep gulp of fresh air. Her green eyes glared with anger at Alyce, who was busy laughing like there was no tomorrow.

Bella leaned on the door to the bathroom, still patting her chest lightly every few minutes. She had just gotten out of the shower, towel around her dripping wet hair and clothes on her body. She had opened the door, not expecting Alyce to be there, and had gotten the surprise of her life. It's not everyday you see a giant creepy black void staring right at you with big red eyes. Bella suddenly hated that her cousin had mutant powers.

"That was seriously fucked up, Alyce." Bella wheezed, closing her eyes and blinking them a few times. She shot her cousin another death glance and made her way to the bed, plopping down and beginning to comb her hair. She ignored Alyce's laughter as she brushed her honey blond hair, stop every so often to comb out a knot. With John always pranking her, Alyce thought Bella would be sort of immune to things like this. Her death defying shriek proved otherwise.

"C'mon, Bellz. If you would've seen the look on your face.....you would be laughing too." The dark haired mutant wiped a tear from her eye and plopped herself near her cousin. She huddled next to Bella and placed a small kiss on her forehead, ruffling her hair and receiving a smack to the arm.

"You see I'm combing my hair, why would you ruffle it?" Bella, annoyed, huffed. She smoothed down her hair once more and shook her brush at Alyce. "Go bother John or something."

Alyce smiled and laid down on her stomach, resting her head on her arms and looking up at her cousin. "You know he's sleeping....I don't have anyone else to bother so early in the morning."

John Allerdyce. Everyone's favourite hard ass and rebel, who, for months had been attached to Alyce Red. Not a lot of people had thought their relationship would last, considering the fact the two never admitted that they were dating. But everyone knew it anyway and that was that.

Ever since the past events with Emma Frost, the pair (and the rest of the group as well) had decided that hanging out at the Mansion was the best thing to do. Even if it was boring at times. The entire X-Team had deemed the West Chester Mall a curse, even the movie theaters. And they weren't entirely alone on the decision. The Brotherhood, as well, thought the same.

Bella finished fixing her hair and gave Alyce a plain look. "Well, I still bother Pietro when he's sleeping....I just finished calling him earlier." Bella smiled to herself. She knew her boyfriend didn't mind when she called him at any hour of the day (or night). He was just too cute. Not at all like John, who would probably blow a nerve if someone called him in the morning.

"That's you and Pietro." Alyce spoke, turning over on her back and stretching."Waking up John in the morning is like asking to get murdered."

Bella giggled and tied her hair back into a bun. "Some love there, huh?" Alyce shrugged and buried her face under her arms. She was beginning to regret waking up so early to play checkers with Logan. As she tried to catch her sleep, the sounds of ruffled paper and the closing of draws startled her. Immediately she looked up, Bella getting up from the bed and fishing around the night table for something. "There was this article I wanted you to read...."

Alyce let out a groan and plopped her head back on her arms. "I already know about the article. Mr. McCoy mentioned it in class last week, remember?"

The two stood silent, each of them thinking things over. Quietly, Bella looked over the article. Even though the paper was so thin, flimsy, the words on it just a shade of black, the message behind it was tremendous. It was only given to the members of the X-Team, to which John responded; "It's not like we can do anything about it." Bella knew that even though the team wouldn't show that they were scared, deep down they actually were. Bella looked over the article as Alyce turned once more on her back.

"Don't read it." Alyce muttered. "It's the only thing you ever hear about anymore. I'm getting sick of Mr. Summers bringing it up in every class." Promptly, Alyce got up from the bed and made her way to the bathroom. She flipped on the hot water and began to take off her clothes. "I'm sorry, Bella, but I don't want to hear about it." Alyce called out from the bathroom as she hopped into the shower.

Bella sighed and stuck the article back in her night side table. Even though Bella wasn't a mutant she could still feel the effects of what was going on. The Mutant Registration Act. Even the name sounded scary to her. As much as Bella didn't want to read the thing over again, she still found herself reaching back for it and settling her eyes over the text.

Mutants weren't a secret anymore. That was a fact. Some people loved them, some hated them. Some feared and some loathed them. What Bella didn't understand was if some how every mutant registered and their identities would be out for all to see......then who would really be safe? No doubt other mutants who hadn't found the solace of the Mansion would be met with hostility and violence. Not to mention that some people even liked to experiment on Mutants like animals.

At first, the articles in the newspapers started out small. They would be next to the wanted ads or the lottery numbers. Then, things started to happen. First was the giant fight that happened between John and Pietro in the middle of the city. That's when the articles started getting bigger. Even though the Professor had tried his best to cover it up, there were still some faults, cracks, in the story that made other people suspicious of what really happened.

Then, rag tag mutants started getting out of hand and that's when the articles started reaching the third page. It was either sooner or later the articles would hit front page.......then what? What would happen?

"Alyce....it's scary to know that something like this is going to happen." Bella dug around her draw for some clothes as she called her words out to her cousin. "It's better to talk about it and get all your feelings out on it."

"As long as we're with the X-Men, as long as we're at the Mansion we don't have to worry about anything." She spoke matter-o-factly, Alyce, as she walked out of the bathroom—towel drying her hair. She idly pulled on her pajamas and they formed into regular clothes. She looked around the room for her sneakers and plopped herself on the floor, pulling them on. Alyce looked up at Bella, her face still worried about the issue. Bella needn't worry about it anyway. She wasn't a mutant. She would be safe whether the act passed or not. Alyce shook her head vigorously. "Enough is enough....Kitty is getting everyone together for Lunch. Let's just worry about that, instead."

Bella, with an outfit already on, pulled on her shoes and nodded. "One day at a time?" She asked, her voice hopeful and already her mind erasing her thoughts on what was just spoken.

"One day at a time."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**: Cashback

When a regular person gets a hot soda, they either drank it or waited until ice was available. When Remy LeBeau had a hot soda he went to go look for Bobby Drake. The Ice Man. When _anyone_ had a hot soda it was Bobby they came looking for. It was pretty much the second thing Bobby was known for around the Mansion (aside from being a dick) and it had it's perks. But Remy had another predicament at the moment. Sure he had his ice cold soda, but_ now_....it was his burger that had gotten a bit luke-warm. Remy liked his food bubbling hot.

He sat at the lunch table sipping his soda through a straw and looking at his food with a dismay. The only person he knew that would be able to heat up his food was John. Remy sighed and looked back toward the lunch line. It had already gotten packed with other students. Getting up right now only meant to be in line waiting for an hour and a half, surrounded by the younger students who chattered non stop. All he wanted to do was just eat a nice hot lunch. Was that too much to ask?

"If 'ya keep starin' at 'yah food like that, 'yah might burn a hole in it." Rogue looked at her boyfriend with a smile. Upon hearing her words, Remy sighed and put his head down on the table. He _could_ ask John to heat up his food, however, exploding burger wasn't on his 'to do' list.

Rogue knew all to well about Remy's dilemma. Even though he didn't look it, Remy was quite the picky eater. If his food had gotten the slightest bit cool he wouldn't eat it at all. Rogue didn't need to know the story behind his picky eatings but she was sure he had a good reason for it. Patting Remy on his back, Rogue looked around the bustling cafeteria for the rest of the team. Not only was it getting awkward, sitting with Bobby and Jubilee, but she was worried about Remy not eating. John would come by eventually.

"So, Rogue, what's new?" Bobby asked, biting into his sandwich. The two of them shared an uncertain look, both glancing at their new companions.

"Nothing much. Same 'ol." The Southern Belle smiled. She didn't really want to make idle chit-chat with her ex boyfriend. Idle chit-chat with her _ex_-boyfriend and his new girlfriend; Jubilation Lee—who so happened to be Remy's ex-girlfriend. Many a time, Rogue had decided to think of their situation as a day time morning soap opera. It actually calmed her, almost made her laugh, when talking to Bobby.

Rogue and Jubilee didn't talk as much as they used too, but when they did it was small conversations. Usually about school or homework. Rogue noticed the Asian teen stab at her salad with a bit of furiosity...which caused Rogue to stop looking at the two all together. As far as she was concerned she and Remy were very much happy together and so were Jubilee and Bobby. It's all she really cared about.

"His food got cold again?" A voice maneuvered it's way into the awkward silence.

Rogue looked up from her plate to see Alyce sitting down across from her. She let out a breath of relief upon seeing another friendly face. "_You're a life saver."_ Rogue's face read as she and Alyce caught eyes once more. Alyce greeted Bobby and Jubilee before turning back to Rogue and giving her a smirk."_Glad to be one."_ Her face responded. She settled down her tray and looked at Remy with a funny gaze.

"'Ah think it's still edible...Remy thinks it's not." Rogue shrugged and sipped her juice, still patting Remy's back and trying her best to avoid eye contact with Bobby. At least with Alyce here, Bobby would think twice about acting stupid. Jubilee would just keep shut. It was heaven, to say the least.

Alyce bit into her apple and chewed, looking down at Remy's food with a questioning look. "I hope you're not thinking of asking John to heat up your food...again."

Slowly, Remy sat back up in his seat giving Alyce a bland look. "Remy wasn't thinking it." He defended, but he knew that Alyce could see right through his lie. The last time he had asked John to heat up his food, he had burnt his entire tray. It had taken them over an hour to get the melted tray off the table. Shaking his head away from the old thought, Remy pushed his tray over to Alyce. "If Alyce knows what Remy is thinking.....then be Remy's guest."

Stopping mid bite, Alyce rolled her eyes. She should've seen this coming a mile away. Holding the apple in her mouth, she touched the tray and almost instantly new food items sat to replace the old ones. Hot food. She held back her laughter as Remy hungrily pulled back his tray and began to scruff down his food, mumbling his thank you with a full mouth.

"'Ya saved another starvin' mutant." Rogue chuckled, raising her juice bottle in a mock toast.

Alyce raised her soda bottle with a smile and the two gently brought them together. "There goes my good deed for the day."

The good moment the two girls had going for themselves should have lasted for a few more minutes. Remy, happily eating his good. Rogue chatting with Alyce on various topics. Bobby and Jubilee, occasionally, joining in the conversation. Sadly, none of them saw John coming. John and his mouthful of crude jokes. He pushed his way past the crowded cafeteria, annoying the looks of others as he bumped into them.

"Talk about Awkward City. Here we have mistress number one---" The Pyro points at Rogue, receiving the finger from the southern belle. "---and mistress number two!" He points to Jubilee and claps his hands together, sitting down next to Alyce and plopping his plate down on the table.

"You just don't give up, do you?" Bobby asks, biting his lip in frustration. Leave it to John to announce the elephant in the room.

"Hey, don't get all sad Drake. You can be mistress number three."

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Alyce glanced over to Rogue, instantly plastering an apologetic look on her face. Rogue, knowing all to well that boys will be boys, shrugged and continued to eat her lunch. Remy, who seemed to not even be phased, actually let out a laugh. Leave it to the boys to take it rather lightly, but the girls...mainly Jubilee... to get a hissy fit. As soon as John had begun to dig into his food, Jubilee had gotten up from her seat and left the table.

"Real smooth, John." The Ice Man spoke sourly, focusing all his anger toward the smug Pyro. They could never get along, even when they had tried it just never worked. Sometimes Bobby didn't know why he even tried. He shot a look over to Alyce, who just gave him a very plain look.

"Look here, Boh-Bee--" John took a sip of his soda and leaned over in his seat. "--don't be mad because your yellow fever can't handle a joke."

Alyce had to admit here—the one going feud between the Pyro and Ice Man was, indeed, entertaining. For the two boys, it was the most personal thing in the world but for everyone else on the team it was actually a source of daily entertainment. Whether they knew it or not, they're arguments grew more childish with each passing day. Trying to hide her smile, Alyce placed a hand on John's shoulder, distracting him with a kiss on the cheek. Bobby had been more quick to start the fist part of the argument whenever things like this came up.

Alyce had to remember to thank Emma Frost, wherever she was, for turning the sweet, caring Bobby into a 'quick to attack' bad boy. Please note the sarcasm. In fact, Alyce wished she could run into Emma...just to get a few more punches that she had missed from their last encounters.

"'Ya two might want to calm down...." Rogue started.

"...before _le chaton_ comes." Remy finished the sentence, giving everyone a warning glance.

Immediately, everyone settled down at hearing the words '_le chaton'. _It only meant one thing. Kitty Pryde was coming. Or as Remy called her; The Kitten. Aside from Bella, who was at Kitty's side, she was the youngest. They didn't dare ruin her little luncheon get together in fear of the girl crying and getting angry. Kitty had made it her point more than once that everyone should "just try to get along". With Avalanche to back that up.....her point was taken.

"Alert, alert." Bella sneaked over to the group, Piotr close behind. The two hunched over as if they were hiding from something or rather someone.

"What's with the spy thing going on?" John asked to Bella. When he didn't get an immediate response he looked over to Piotr.

Before the blond and the Russian could respond, came the bright eyed - brown haired Kitty Pryde. Her smile reached from ear to ear as she sat down gingerly at the table. Everyone knew that she had some sort of news to relay to the team, Alyce already knowing what the news was.

"Remy wants to know the big surprise!" The Cajun' beamed, matching his mood toward Kitty's. He got the young girl to giggle, which to him was a good thing. Remy liked being the people pleaser that he was.

"Well!" Kitty spoke, eye-ing Alyce with a sly look. "Alyce already knows...." Kitty let out a laugh, seeing as John made a fake disappointed smile. He failed....horribly.

"And you didn't tell?! _Me_?!" John exaggerated, looking at Alyce as he slapped his hand over his chest and pretended to faint. He leaned on Alyce's shoulder and proceeded to bite her neck, causing her to shoo him away.

"Kitty, you only told me this morning." Alyce spoke as she laughed, pushing away John and ignoring the annoyed huffs of her cousin. Bella hadn't had proper time with her boyfriend, Pietro, in a few days. And it wasn't helping that John was constantly throwing that in her face. But when your father was Magneto....well...yea, you tended to be busy at certain times.

"I know, I know. Ok, on to the good news!" Kitty quickly shoveled a forkful of spaghetti into her mouth and chewed it down quickly. "My sister is coming to the Mansion in a few days."

"Sister?!" All the boys at the table chimed at the same time. What was it with boys and their friend's sisters? Or any of their friends family members, to be exact. Kitty noticing how the boy's perked up in their seats quickly raised up her hand.

"She's taken....so get your mind out of the gutter." Even though John and Remy were taken she knew the two would still bother her in their own sort of way. It was nice to know Alyce and Rogue weren't so hard up on things like that. Bobby and Jubilee on the other hand, caused some concern. Bobby _did_ try to take Bella away from Pietro a month back. It didn't end up so well....and Jubilee...well, Kitty needn't explain that. The only one really single on the team was Piotr. But Kitty knew that he wouldn't try anything funny with her sister.

"Just because a man has his food doesn't mean he can't look at the dessert." John wagged his finger at Kitty, causing the girl to scowl at his intentions. "Ain't that right, LeBeau?" John asked, looking for some sort of back up to his words. He would damn himself to hell if he ever caught himself asking Bobby for back up. The Cajun' nodded, but not before he wrapped his arm around Rogue's shoulder and placed a kiss on her cheek, pulling back in time before her powers kicked in.

Bobby couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous, seeing Remy kiss his ex-girlfriend. Bobby couldn't even remember the times that he had kissed her, if he did it was always accompanied by the shock of her powers. He was shook from his thoughts as Kitty began to talk once more.

"Keep your dessert menu to yourself." Kitty growled, already getting into protective sisterly mode. "I just wanted everyone to know...make her feel at home. She's going to be hanging around with me and staying for a bit."

"That's almost like Alyce and I!" Bella mused, jumping up in her seat with excitement. "Finally, I won't be the only human here...." Bella paused, her face going blank. She turned to Kitty with a glint of hope in her eye. "....she _is_ a human right?"

"But of course!" Kitty chimed, adoring the looks of shock on everyone's face. "She may be a human but she still has the Pryde in her, so watch out."

John suddenly let out a loud groan, slapping his hands over his face and sliding them down toward his neck. "As if one Pryde isn't enough...."

As if waiting for her cue, Bella quickly picked up Alyce's empty soda bottle and hurled it over to John. He dodged it just in time, to grab his bottle and throw it back at Bella with much more strength. And the fighting began. It was bound to happen sooner or later. The two just couldn't go more than a few days without breaking out into random fight.

Alyce got up from her seat, nearly getting pelted with a salad bowl. She made her way over to Kitty and slung an arm over her shoulder. "You don't think your sister would team up with Bella?" Alyce asked, kind of hopeful. John needed another girl to keep him in his place at times. Kitty let out a chuckle as she phased both her and Alyce out of the path of a flying tray.

"Claire? She would _so_ get along with Bella."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**: The Rise of Brutality

"Goddammit!_¡Oye!_ It's target practice not sissy practice!"

Charlie Pennington pinched the bridge of her nose with a gloved hand. She was more..._disappointed_ than angry. She had agreed to take a few hours out of her life, per week, to train the X-Team in the Danger Room. According to a few of the members she was too 'brutal'. According to the Professor she was 'very educational'. Take that X-Team. Charlie-1, You-0. But right now, she was disappointed with the fact that none of these kids could make a solid hit at a target. The targets weren't even moving.

Angrily, Charlie made her way over to Bobby Drake. He had been trying to aim for one of the higher targets but to no avail. Everyone else had done it just fine, after a number of tries. She didn't care if he was an Ice-Man, if he couldn't properly aim and hit a _stationary_ target, his ass was good as dead.

"_Mida_---" Charlie spoke, grabbing an ice spike out of Bobby's hand and throwing it with ease at the target. "--does that look so hard?" She placed her hands on her hips and glared her grey eyes at the teen. He was ready to open his mouth, his face contorted with anger, but decided against it when he noticed the glock on Charlie's hip.

"'Ya throw like a _girl_....." Charlie murmured, patting the gun on her belt and smiling. A little intimidation went a _long_ way.

"Don't we all?" Interrupted Ray Crisp, patting Charlie's shoulder for good measure. He felt it his need to jump in whenever something like this happened. True, Charlie was a bit harsh when it came to telling people what they needed to know but it was better to be blunt than sugar coat anything. He took pride in knowing he could successfully calm Charlie down from pretty much anything. He shot Charlie a look and she sighed, turning on her heel and heading off to another member of the team. For now, it would just be Ray and Bobby practicing on aiming.

Charlie made her way over to Alyce, watching as she hit another target from the ceiling. She was one of the people that Charlie could actually stand, aside from Logan, Ray and a few others. "How is tha' lil' twit the leader?" Charlie asked, taking out her gun and aiming at a target on the other side of the room. She shot a couple of rounds at the targets, causing Kitty Pryde to shriek at the top of her lungs. An impish smile crept on her face as she shot off another round, Kitty once more shrieking at the sound.

"Actually, he hasn't been the leader for a while. Professor hasn't said anything and no one's took a step forward." Alyce quickly tied her hair back in a pony tail and stretched her arms before forming another black spike in her hand. She took a step back, heaving her hand over her head and throwing the spike.

"Why don't 'ya ask 'ta be leader?" Charlie asked, debating on whether she should continue startling Kitty.

Gripping at another spike that she had formed, Alyce shrugged. "I'm not the leader type."

"Fuck that. Someone's gotta' be a leader. Especially---" Charlie slapped her gun back on her belt and growled, cupping her hands over her mouth. "---WHEN ALL THE BOYS THROW LIKE CHICKS!" She slapped her hand on her forehead upon seeing John miss a target. He turned, flicking his lighter. Quickly, Alyce shot him a look and swished her palm against her neck. International sign for; 'Cut it out.' He grumbled something under his breath and lit another fireball, sending it toward the target and hitting it. Charlie let out a sarcastic congratulations. The last thing Alyce needed was Charlie fighting with John. Alyce knew hands down that Charlie would whip the poor Pyro's butt.

"'Ya keep at it, Alyce. I gotta' go deal with these _hijos de la putas_."

Alyce watched as Charlie made her way over to John, telling him something, giving him the finger and turning on her heel, making her way over to Jubilee. Alyce didn't really understand when the others on the team called Charlie too harsh. She liked her training sessions...they were actually challenging. It was something different than the usual search and rescue Scott Summers did.

With all the running they had been doing around the Danger Room, Alyce was thankful that she didn't eat a full lunch. Or else right now she'd be throwing it all up. Catching another target, Alyce looked up and caught the watchful eye of Bella. She had always sat in the upper booths and watched the training sessions. She had even tried to join in once. It was a good thing Jean caught on to what she was planning to do. Alyce waved, pretending to wipe fake sweat from her forehead. "_Hard work."_ The motion read. She could see Bella smile and motion at her neck.

"_I'd kill myself if I had to do this."_ Was what Bella said with her actions. The two shared another smile before the loud clapping of Charlie's hands were heard.

"_¡Conyo!_ Everyone just...._stop_." Charlie growled, raising her hands in the air. If she ran this school she would seriously send all of them to S.H.I.E.L.D to get the proper training. It was just that sad. Sure they had been out of the field for a month or two but that shouldn't be the excuse. At least Alyce was hitting some of the targets. Letting out moans, everyone stopped what they were doing.

"No! Just shut up!" Charlie retorted, giving everyone an annoyed look. "What if this was really out on the field, _ey?_ Missing a target could cost you your life." Looking around the room, Charlie's eyes caught that of Kitty's. She wasn't intentionally trying to pick on the girl, even though it seemed so. "Come here...." Charlie spoke.

"Wha-why me?" Kitty scoffed, kicking at the floor idly and scratching her head.

"Because we're goin' 'ta be uppin' the stakes--" Charlie answered. She motioned for everyone to line up and placed Kitty a few feet in front of the line. "--and you're the only one that can get shot at and not die." The look that Kitty had on her face almost made Charlie burst out laughing, but she hid it well and her laugh ended up sounding like a mock cough. "Ok....'ya see Kitty...now..._shoot_."

"Shoot what?" Bobby asked, obviously very annoyed at what was going on.

"Shoot your powers, or whatever it is 'ya need to do to aim successfully at the target."

"Remy thinks...this is a bit...._inhumane_."

Charlie rolled her eyes. "_Que eso? _Inhumane? In the real world ain't no such thing. If 'ya goin' 'ta be worryin' about who your target is...then you're fucked."

"We can't just shoot at Kitty." Rogue spoke up. She was down for Charlie's intensive training sessions but this was just too far.

"Why not? What if Kitty was a Skrull?" Charlie made her way over to Kitty and placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. Judging by the looks on everyone's faces she knew they had no clue what Skrulls really were. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "To sum it up, Skrulls are shape shiftin' alien scum. But that's not the point! The point is....learnin' to properly aim and land a successful hit is necessary on the field."

Ray stepped up near Charlie. "What she means to say is, that if shooting at a target that is more---'life like' it should help you with your training." He looked over to her and she nodded, giving him a smile for helping her explain her thoughts. But still, the looks on everyone face were just not agreeing. Angrily, Charlie shooed Kitty away and instead took her place.

"I know 'ya lil' fuckers hate me anyway. Give me 'ya best shot." Charlie extended her arms and gave everyone a full smile. She couldn't phase through things like Kitty or turn her skin into organic metal, like Piotr or make body armour like Alyce...but she could dodge...and she was damn well good at it.

Alyce made her way over to Ray, tapping on his shoulder anxiously. "Do you really think tha--"

Ray laughed already knowing what Alyce was going to ask. He motioned for her to move back as the team got ready to aim whatever they could at Charlie. "Charlie knows what she's doing. Besides, if someone does hit her...it gives her the perfect excuse to knock Bobby's lights out."

"What if it isn't Bobby that hits her?" Alyce pondered, more worried about Charlie knocking Rogue or Kitty out. She knew Charlie packed a mean punch, she wouldn't want to be on the receiving end.

"Doesn't matter." Ray laughed. "She'd hit him anyway."

_____________

A/N: I think everyone would like to hit Bobby....at least once in their life time. Anywho, I'm figuring another chapter before the actions begins. Sit tight :D


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**: Never Could Have Been Worse

As much as Logan _wanted_ to crack a joke at Hank, he knew now was not the time. It wasn't everyday you got to see a blue mutant dressed up in a suit. Logan didn't know why he found it so funny, maybe it was the way Hank was carefully combing his hair---mane? In all honesty, Logan admired Hank for what he was about to do.

"How do I look?" Hank asked. Almost immediately he regretted asking the Wolverine his opinion. Not that he didn't respect the man, but he just knew that a joke was already waiting to be unleashed. Annoyed at himself, Hank fiddled with this tie.

"Kinda like a rejected Lion King mascot." Logan responded, rather nonchalantly. The two men looked at each other, Logan trying to hold back his laugh at how serious Hanks' face had turned.

"Maybe we should get you suited up to come with me?" Hank smiled seeing the Wolverine shake his head and turn on his heel. They had been waiting in the Professor's office for what had seemed to be an eternity. Neither of them wanted to admit how nervous they really were. The only thing that was really breaking the silence between them was the T.V, the words wrapping around them and holding them tight.

Jean Grey walked into the office, buttoning up the buttons on her blazer. She looked up from her suit and gave a meek smile to Hank and Logan. She didn't want to seem pessimistic but she knew this whole thing would amount to nothing. There was no way she and Hank could convince the Senate other wise. To convince them that mutants weren't dangerous, only misguided, and with the proper guidance could learn to use their powers for good. What Jean Grey and Hank McCoy were trying to do simply seemed impossible.

To veto the Mutant Registration Act.

The airtime that had been about the Act grew greater and greater with each day. Never no signs of it dying down. Jean walked over to the window of the office, looking outside down to the kids who played on the lawn. It gave her a bit of hope knowing that she would be fighting for them, for their safety. But once more, feelings of dread and sadness washed over her.

"You feelin' ok?" It was Logan's voice who asked this question, softly, as he walked up toward her. He place a reassuring hand on her shoulder, causing her face to soften up and ease.

"I'm fine." She lied, turning around and making her way to one of the many seats in the office. Besides having to worry about the Senate there was also Eric Lensherr. Magneto. He had already proposed his idea on the Registration Act and it was anything but pretty. Even with the Professor trying his best to convince his old friend otherwise, it hadn't worked. If the act passed, Magneto was ready to do the thing he was best at. Start a war.

Jean let out a sigh, trying to distract herself she began fixing her hair. Could it get even worse?

"Sorry to have kept you all waiting....." The doors to the office opened the Professor entering with Scott and Ororo at his side. Kurt soon followed, bamphing his way in, getting looks from the others as the sour smell of brimstone entered the room.

"Whatever happened to just walking in?" Logan mumbled, more to himself than to anyone in the room. He received an apologetic smile from Kurt, who took his place in the corner of the room on top of a chair. A moment of silence fell through the room as the Professor turned off the TV and faced everyone.

He took in a deep breath, trying to figure out what he would say to everyone. They all looked up to him, to count on him to make the right choices and guide them through the dark times. But even now, Charles Xavier was unsure of himself. He knew, however, that he couldn't show his uncertainty. He had to pretend like things were going to be ok—had to _believe_ that things were going to be ok.

"I don't think I need to explain what's going on." Charles spoke solemnly. "Hank, Jean, I'm sure you two will do the best that you can with this situation."

"Then what happens after that? What happens if they don't?" It was Logan who spoke up, not surprising to say the least. He received an annoyed look from Scott, who was busy comforting Jean. Reclining back in his seat, Logan sighed and tried to think on how to rephrase his question.

"We'll do what we can, Logan--"

"And what if the riots are out on the front lawn? Then what?"

The sheer thought of having a full blown riot in front of their school caused everyone to cringe. If they defended themselves then they would be outed as mutants, if they didn't then people would get hurt. Either way it was a lose situation. Of all people to speak on the Mutant Registration Act was none other than Senator Kelly. It wasn't a secret that he had his thoughts about the school being something of a mutant refuge and with how persuasive he was—it was no doubt that the debate against the Act would take a long, tedious, time. It also didn't help the school with Senator Kelly knowing that Hank was teaching there, it only furthered his suspicions about the school.

The Professor brought his hands together, looking at Logan. "One thing at a time. The first thing is to worry about the Government."

"Why don't---why don't we make ourselves known? Show them that they have nothing to worry about us, so they can leave the school alone?"

That _brilliant_ idea coming from none other than Ororo Munroe. Logan thought about telling her how stupid that sounded, but of course he didn't. His look was enough to speak for him. "We do that, don't you think there's a risk of someone still getting hurt?" Logan asked, sarcasm dripping in his voice.

Jean let out a sigh, patting her cheeks. "No more about this." She had enough on her mind already to be thinking about the bickering Logan and Ororo. "The Professor is right, first thing we worry about is talking to congress about the bill. Then, _then_, if something starts happening to our school we can take care of it." She gave everyone a stern look, her eyes begging for everyone to just stop talking back and agree.

Hank took a step forward, patting Jean on her shoulder gently. He made his way to the office entrance and held the door open, motioning for Jean to walk through. She smiled and made her way out of the office, stopping outside in the hallway.

"Do you think we can do this, Hank?" Jean continued to walk as Hank caught up to her stride. For what seemed to be the umpteenth time, like a baby with it's pacifier, she fiddled with the buttons on her blazer.

"My dear---" Hank stated as the two walked down the stairs and into the garage. "--we're going to do just fine."

___

A/N: I am super sorry for not posting this yesterday. I've got a nasty cold and it sucks~ but today, I'll try to upload some more :) So sit tight!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**: Eve of the End—A Warm Place

Alyce found herself wanting to run on home to Daddy. It was the little defenseless Alyce that was tugging at her, screaming at her to go home and be some place where she knew she would be safe. Why did she feel threatened, anyway? Alyce didn't really know why and tying to keep the feeling from intruding into her real life was getting a bit hard. Maybe it was her natural instincts as a mutant to feel the way she did, especially with everything that was going on in the press. It was like in one day everything was only about Mutants. Mutants this and Mutants that.

Alyce found herself back in the phone booth. The one that she always plastered herself into when she wanted to call her father. When she wanted to really feel safe. For some odd reason, she couldn't find herself dialing her fathers number. Even when she picked up the phone and pressed it to her ear, still nothing. She was grown up Alyce, not little girl Alyce anymore. Upon realizing this, she hung up the phone, sitting back in the phone booth with a mock depression. Shoo-ing away the feeling she got up from the booth and made her way back to the living room.

The lot of the students, when they had heard about Hank and Jean being on T.V, had ran into the living room and had taken up a semi-permanent residence. Kids of all ages were just plopped on the floor, waiting for the news to finish and press conference to begin. None of them seemed as scared as she, or the rest of the team were, and Alyce wondered why. They were so naive about the real concept of being a mutant and it was mostly due to the fact that they weren't on the X-Team. To them they had cool powers, fuck yea! That's all that really mattered in their book. If some of them didn't have a family, they found new family members at the Mansion who would understand them. But Alyce knew, the entire X-Team knew, how tough things could get.

"'Ah wish 'Ah could be so carefree." Rogue appeared next to Alyce, with the same things on her mind as Alyce. "'Ah hate feelin' so adult, havin' 'ta worry about things like this." The belle smiled and handed Alyce a bottled soda.

"Show is about to start?" Alyce opened the bottle and drank the cool soda. It calmed down her nerving body, the sugar rushing into her system. You would think it would do anything _but_ calm her down.

"In a bit. 'Ah don't really want 'ta see it....but then again 'Ah do. Does that make sense?"

Alyce motioned for Rogue to walk, and they did, making their way to the couch which the team had claimed for themselves. "It makes perfect sense, Rogue. It's a scary thing." Rogue stood silent for a moment, but nodded her head in agreement. As they approached the team couch the looks of worry on all of their faces became more apparent. Having to register? Having to be known where ever you went that you were a mutant? Would they have to wear special tags on their clothes? For some at the Mansion, knowing that you were a mutant was all to apparent on how they looked.

Remy LeBeau and his red on black eyes. Whenever he went out, he wore shades. Lately, Hank had been experimenting with different types of contacts. So far, they seemed to be working. But it just wasn't Remy without his eyes.

Santo Vacarro, who Alyce remembered as the guy who gave her the biggest beating of her life. His skin was made out of rock. A lot of the kids had taken up calling him The Thing, from the Fantastic Four. Which made Alyce ponder would they have to register too? Everyone knew about them, The Fantastic Four, The Avengers the rest of the groups of heroes. A lot of the kids had wanted to be apart of their teams one day. Could they? Now that this act was coming up? Would you consider them Mutants or Super Human?

There was also Pixie. You just couldn't ignore the fact that she was a mutant. The girl had wings on her back for Christ sake. So did Warren, the mysterious Angel who would come to the Mansion every now and then.

For them, for the rest of the kids that had their mutant literally on their sleeve, it would be the most hard.

Alyce plopped herself down on the couch, right between the (already) bickering John and Bella. Almost immediately, Bella latched herself onto her cousin pulling her close and giving her a hug.

"What's with all the love?" Alyce asked, laughing, as she hugged her cousin back.

"Nothing! I just wanted to hug you, is all."

"Bullshit, she's buttering you up so you can be on her side." Came John's voice from the other side of Alyce. The sounds of his lighter swishing with a bit of annoyance.

"What side, John? She _is_ my cousin." Bella stuck out her tongue at the Pyro.

Alyce smiled to herself. It was nice to know that even though things were going to get tough around the Mansion, these two would always act the same. No matter what. She was sure that during the end of days the two would still be fighting on who's the better prankster. She released herself from Bella's grasp and playfully put her hand over John's shoulder.

"How's my little girl doing?" Alyce laughed, getting playfully shoved back toward Bella. "I'm kidding---hey, weren't you going to ask the Professor to design you something so you wouldn't have to lug the lighter around?" Alyce sat up in her seat, gently taking the lighter out of John's hand. He had been dying for something more 'compatible'. He had stated on numerous occasions that with the time it took for him to open the lighter and flick it on, he could already be dead. If he lost it, he was fucked all together.

"I'm working on it." John answered, leaning back in his seat and letting out a yawn. "It's just with this shit all in the way, I don't feel like bugging the wheel man for anything."

"You never did like asking anyone for anything..._anyway_." Alyce retorted, getting John to give her a scowl. She leaned on his arm for the remainder of the news show, everyone still on edge about the press conference. It had crossed Alyce's mind many a time to ask John about his take on things. For one, how it was like knowing that he had caused one of the greatest city meltdowns since....well, since ever? Well, it wasn't really his fault---really more like Pietro _and_ John's. But she was sure if she asked, both boys would only respond with laughter. They probably found it fun.

Alyce felt a lump in her throat as her thoughts began to race. Would they mention the Theater? The one that she and Magma had literally messed to bits, and had eventually blown up? She didn't remember much of what had happened that day, but she knew of it thanks to Pietro and Jean for making her re live the damn thought. The feeling of wanting to throw up became apparent to Alyce, and she immediately grabbed her soda and chugged a huge mouthful of it. She didn't want to show anyone on this team how nervous she really was. She just couldn't.

Did the Government know that if you did register, you could run risk of a certain William Stryker knocking at your door? Apparently not.

"Ok, you little shits. Shut up!" John growled at the lower class men. When they didn't, it was both John and Remy who stood up and they all instantly shut up. It was actually pretty funny and it was apparent when both Piotr and Alyce let out a small chuckle. It amazed her that even though this was a mutant school, it could seem so regular at times.

The Press Conference started. The atmosphere turning thick with nervousness and worry.

*

*

"You have to understand that Mutants, while they _seem_ intimidating, are anything but. Most of them are scared, worried about what would happen to them if this act passes. Most of them are already shunned by their families...being shunned by the over all populace is just not the answer."

"How would you know this Ms. Grey? Are you, yourself, a mutant?"

Senator Kelly was being a smug asshole at the moment. Jean was sure that it's what he did most of the time he was awake and that annoyed her to no end. How could someone, who passed all of his debates on bribing and fear live without any regret? As soon as he asked that one question, Jean could feel the blood drain from her face and it was like she was put out in front of the entire world. Hank, seeing Jean freeze up, came to her rescue.

"What she means to say, Mister Kelly is that she can sympathize with how hard it is."

"You of all people should know how 'hard' it is." Kelly mocked, giving Hank the once over as he positioned himself in front of the microphone.

******Meanwhile, back at the Mansion, Charlie shouts; "_That's what she said!_"******

"I'm going to pretend that wasn't such of a low blow, Senator."

A few chuckles from the others were heard, but once Kelly reared his ugly head they immediately shut up.

"Me, of all people--" Hank started, sipping a bit of the water that was on the podium. "--should know how hard it is for one to be a mutant. But it's a good thing that people respect me for what I know than how I look. Which is how it should be."

A smile shown on Senator Kelly's face as he walked in front of the podium with a slab of papers in his hand. "What would you have to say if I read to you what was on these papers?"

Hank shrugged. "Well, you would have to read them, wouldn't you?" As the Senator shuffled through his papers, Hank motioned for Jean to sit down. She did not look the least bit well at all, her face had gone stark white and her lips trembled. It wasn't like her at all. He handed her a cup of water and she thankfully accepted.

"It says here that under "mysterious circumstances" four entire city blocks of West Chester were practically disheveled. What do you have to say about that?"

Hank semi smiled. He knew what exactly had happened and he knew for a fact that Senator Kelly had his suspiciousness about it being the work of mutants. "Mysterious Circumstances could mean anything. The point of this conference today is to not point fingers but to merely get our words across---"

"Which is exactly what I'm doing Mr. McCoy. Everyone here, everyone watching needs to know that the stack of events in which I have in my hand are caused single handedly by mutants. What I'm trying to get across is that mutants are indeed very dangerous. If we don't have pass this Registration Act then things more terrible could happen. We need to know who they are and most of all what they can do!"

A loud agreement of an uproar bursted throughout the room. Hank, his voice barely heard, growled his frustration taking a look back at Jean who had placed her head in her hands. It was then that Hank spotted someone. Yellow shirt, black pants, an all to familiar face.

"I hope you yups know what ya'll doin'." The man bellowed, his voice reaching all parts of the room and everyone keeping quiet.

"I'm sorry but---who are _you_?" Kelly asked, bewildered at the fact that someone would talk while he was making his big spotlight debut.

"It shouldn't really matter who I am...but as you can—my name is right here." The man pointed to his belt buckle, obviously very annoyed at the man talking down to him. He was a big guy, muscular and as soon as he stood up from his seat was when Kelly took a step back. He was tall and _very_ intimidating. His name? Luke Cage. "What you white collar yups got goin' on here can be very much compared to Jim Crow segregation."

"Excuse me bu--"

"I wasn't done, was I?" Luke Cage crossed his arms over his chest, giving the Senator a smirk. "You're telling mutants to sign up so they can be treated differently, it's basically what y'all doing. And you all know it's wrong. This is what you call modern day slavery...mutant slavery."

If Hank McCoy could jump for joy and give Luke a high five he would.

"Sure they're a few misguided ones but that wouldn't happen if they weren't met with racism everyday."

"Mister Cage--" Kelly spoke, shuffling through his papers and fixing his glasses. "---from what I'm reading here you reside in District X—for those of you who don't know is a community only for mutants. It isn't a secret you know."

Luke rolled his eyes. "No shit it ain't a secret. District X is a safe haven for mutants who are constantly rejected by man kind---"

"Right and what's this here, I read? "Any human seen in District X will be _forced_ out?"

"See, I don't know about you but you obviously have your facts way wrong. Humans can come into District X if they're going to behave, ya' get me? It's when we start seeing government yupps like you snooping around that rises for some action. I also '_reside_' in Harlem, if you had your facts you would know,...I take care of the people there, mutant or not."

There was a silence in the conference room, everyone taking in what Luke Cage was speaking. But still, with a man like Senator Kelly leading the dogs no one was _really_ going to listen. Hank looked over to Cage, the two sharing a look that said it all.

What they were doing wasn't enough. These people, these congress men, would have to find out first hand the real bad mutants could do....and the real good.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**: Twisted The Knife—Open Your Eyes

She had finally managed to find a phone that was working and to her it was a heaven scent. Her boyfriend, Julian Keller, stood by her side, hovering over her as if he was a mother hawk and she was his baby. With shaking hands she pushed the quarter into the phone slot, quickly dialing the number to her sister's phone. While the phone rang, she leaned on the cool metal of the phone booth. They had been walking for what seemed to be hours. At least they had gotten away from the riots. But then what?

"Claire, hurry. I think I see more rioters." Julian mumbled, standing to her side to block her from view. He clenched his fists, he was tired as well and this time if someone played stupid he was ready to use his powers. He just didn't care anymore, cared if they knew he was a mutant or not. He suspiciously eyed a couple of random people, his mind scattered and not thinking straight. Anyone to him, right now, was a threat.

"But...we just got away from them! How are there anymore?" Claire asked, fatigue and annoyance in her voice. She held the phone to her ear, struggling to hear the ringing, as she pushed back the bangs from her eyes. She felt hot and sweaty, the thoughts of a nice hot shower and something to eat crossed her mind. But neither of them had any money and they sure as hell didn't have a hot shower. Angrily, Claire slammed the phone against the metal booth, letting it go and watching it wobble in the air.

Julian, startled at hearing the phone slam, turned around and gathered Claire in his arms. "I know you're tired, Claire. I know. But we're almost to where we have to be. All we have to do is--"

"Julian!" Claire cried out. "We've been running for hours! Everywhere we go we're running into people with bricks and bats. I'm just tired---I can't call my sister and...and..."

Julian bit his lip, hugging Claire tight as she began to sob. He understood what she was feeling, in a way he was feeling the same way as well. He felt as if they were in one big maze and no matter how hard they tried to get out of it they couldn't. He patted her brown hair, trying to calm her down, as a group of people walked by them, giving them odd looks. If they weren't in the situation they were in, he would've been quick to be a smart ass.

"I'll carry you to the train station. We're almost there and as soon as we get on the train it's only a couple of stops." Julian cooed in her ear, trying his best to calm her down. All he wanted to do was just see her smile again, to see her be happy. She looked up at him, ignoring the smell of smoke and fire from blocks down. The blaring sound of a firetruck flew by and she dug her face back into Julian's shirt.

"You still haven't told me where we were going." She asked, her breathing calm and trying to relax.

"We're going to District X. It's a town for mutants and everyone looks out for their own, ever since Jamie went down there and set up shop."

Claire looked up toward Julian with a questioning look. "Jamie?" She had only asked in question because the two never kept secrets with one another. She practically knew Julian like the palm of her hand, as did he. But she hadn't heard of anyone called Jamie. She shook her head once Julian started to explain, she knew she could trust her boyfriend and his decisions.

"So, you're ready to get going?" He asked, rubbing her shoulders with a smile on his face. She smiled back and the feeling of excitement rushed through his veins.

"Yea, totally ready."

As they ran off from the phone booth, hand in hand, they had failed to hear the faint voice. The small voice coming from the phone in a state of panicked frenzy. The small voice coming from none other than Kitty Pryde. Her voice finally stopped squeaking when someone else picked up the phone to use it, cutting her voice off from the world.

**

*

**

Kitty Pryde was freaking out. Not only did she just hear the faint sounds of her sister in turmoil, but also the sounds of someone else grabbing the phone and hanging it up. For a second, her mind was empty. What was she going to do? Where was Claire? Was she ok? Kitty looked at her phone with dismay and wondered how to get to her. What was she going to do?

"Hey, Kitty, you around?" Alyce called out into the hallway. About halfway into the press conference Kitty had gotten up from her seat, blazing out of the living room and down the hallway. John joked that she was secretly upset about what was going on, and maybe she was, nothing wrong with that. But when Alyce rounded the corner and spotted Kitty, dismay slapped across her face, she knew it was something else. "Kitty.....are you ok?" Alyce asked once more, slowing down her pace as she got close to Kitty.

"Alyce!" The girl cried out suddenly. "My sister...my sister—she's---"

"Calm down, first. Take in a deep breath." Alyce patted Kitty's shoulder, showing her how to breath. Like if she didn't already know. Feeling stupid, Alyce let out a huff and waited for Kitty to calm down. She had never seen the young girl so scared looking in her life. She was always so spunky and bubbly, looking at her now you would've never known.

"My sister. Claire." Kitty began, her words sounding trembled. She opened her pink bedazzled phone and showed Alyce the number she had called from, as if this would explain everything so she wouldn't have to.

Carefully, Alyce took the phone and looked at the number. It was an obvious pay phone number. What was so weird about that? "She called you from a pay phone?"

Kitty anxiously nodded her head, looking at Alyce with hopeful eyes. "She _never_ calls me from a pay phone. And when I picked up I could hear her crying and then someone hanged up the phone! I need to find her!" She started to make a mad dash across the hall, but didn't get far once Alyce caught up and grabbed on her arm.

"Hey, now, you have to calm down." Alyce tried her best to keep a calm tone, but she too was just as worried. Kitty worrying about her sister being hurt reminded Alyce of when Bella was kidnapped by Stryker. "You can't just go running out into the night and expect to find her. We need to go see the Professor."

"But---But Claire!" Kitty let out a sharp sigh, rubbing her face with her hands in uncertainty.

"I know. But you're in a frenzy right now and that's not going to accomplish anything. The Professor will know what to do." Alyce didn't wait for Kitty to respond, she simple grabbed her by her hand and pulled her down the hall and around corners, up the stairs and into the Professor's office.

Upon entering, already knowing that something was wrong the Professor turned off his T.V, looking at both girls with a worrisome face. Alyce nodded to Kitty, who took a few minutes to take in a few deep breaths. She finally calmed her self down, after a few minutes, to tell the Professor the one thing that she could.

"Claire is in trouble."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**: Paint it Black

Logan was the first down in the garage, picking a car to drive and sitting down in the drivers seat. If he hadn't gotten their first he knew for a fact that Remy would fight to drive. Everyone knew Remy driving was like asking to be in an accident, he got to excited for his own good. Rolling his eyes, Logan fiddled with the small GPS that was on the dashboard of the car. He was all in for modern technology but this little godforsaken piece of equipment was just hell. It didn't help that Scott had practically installed them in every car that was in the garage. Whatever happened to maps? Regular paper maps?

"Please enter your destination." The monotonous female spoke. Logan was getting pretty tired of this dull sounding woman. She would repeat the same thing over and over, even while he pushed the location he had been given.

"I already did." Logan growled, now taking it upon himself to just button smash the screen. Upset with it, he ended up throwing it inside the glove compartment, smiling when he heard something crack. He was pretty sure he didn't need the damn thing anyway. He looked around the garage, the door to the car propped open. Still no sign of any of the kids, what was taking them so long? In a way he was kind of thankful they were taking long. It was taking his mind off of the stupid things on TV and more about finding Kitty's sister.

"Alyce is dealing with both John and Kitty."

"You a mind reader, Piotr?" Logan positioned himself in his seat and closed the door. He turned the car on and revved up the engine. He fixed the rear view mirror, looking as Piotr got in the backseat of the car.

Piotr chuckled, strapping himself in with the seat belt. "Not a mind reader. John is angry that he cannot come, and Kitty is just freaking out. But I guess it's normal in her situation." He zippered up his jacket, feeling a draft coming from the garage.

Logan let out a laugh. "John can't come because I don't need the town on fire." John would have to be kept in the Mansion for a while. Especially since they had mentioned his and Pietro's incident at the conference. If not later on in the night, or the next morning, the Professor was going to have a hefty talk with John. Most likely about his fire control or his anger issues.

Remy entered the car, taking his place next to Piotr, humming a song. He happily clicked his seat belt together and sat back, tapping his knees with his gloved hands. Why he was so happy at this time of night, Logan nor Piotr wanted to know. What they did know was that the Cajun was always happy, it's what mattered right? Logan was curious....

"Why are you so happy, kid?"

"Remy is happy because he is going to save _le chaton's_ little sister. Remy feels like a hero." He fixed his hair, and perked the collar on his shirt.

Well, that was always a good reason to be happy. To feel like a hero. As soon as Logan spotted Alyce coming toward the car, he revved the engine once more, finally speeding off once she got in the passengers side. Other than the car, roaring down the road, everything else was pretty silent and eerie. The cold air and the rainy skies had caused a bit of a fog to develop on the road, but it wasn't causing Logan to stop his speeding. Twice already, in the few seconds they had left the Mansion garage, he had ran over a few bumps in the road. When he did, everyone's head hit the ceiling of the car with a loud thump.

"So what was fire boy bothering you about?" Logan asked, eyes still on the road as he drove.

"Nothing really. He just wanted to come along. I don't blame him either, we've all been couped up at the Mansion for a while now." Alyce answered, trying to work Kitty's phone to find the pay phone number that Claire had called with. She was one for fancy looking phone, but the one Kitty had was just too much. A pull up screen with a keyboard, camera, radio, camcorder. It was a bit ridiculous.

"Remy agrees. But _le_ mall _is_ haunted."

"Training sessions are getting a bit boring, as well." Piotr added in, him and Remy sharing a head nod of agreement.

Logan sighed. He knew it was a bit of a drag to stay in the Mansion for a long period of time. It's why he often found himself in the simulator. Maybe it was his age that made him like the simulators more than the kids. "Sorry to be the voice of evil, but it's only going to get worse. Everything that's been happening on TV and that whole Registration Act, it's much safer to stay at the Mansion."

Everyone stood quiet as the mere mention of the Registration Act made everyone nervous. They all reclined back in their seats, watching as the scenery passed them.

*

*

Julian had stolen a bag of cracker jacks and a bottle of water for Claire. For himself, a bag of chips and a soda. He didn't like to admit that stealing, for him, was easy. Especially when he had powers to help. But they had been hungry and thirsty for the better part of the day and it was time to satisfy their hunger pains. It wasn't much, what he had gotten, but it was the best that he could do. Train shops didn't really have much to offer.

"I never thought cracker jacks could taste so good." Claire chuckled, digging through the massive bag and shoveling handfuls of the confection into her mouth.

Julian smiled. "Careful you don't trip and fall in the tracks." He tugged on her arm, pulling her closer to him as they walked down the train platform. They walked to the end of the platform, thankful that the train station was mostly empty. It was just a relief in general to be going under ground and out of the streets.

"Do you want any?" Claire held out her bag of cracker jacks, as she opened her bottle of water with the other. Julian shook his head, pointing to his massive bag of chips. He motioned for Claire to sit on a nearby bench as he walked to the edge of the platform to look for the train.

"That's dangerous you know, leaning over the edge like that." Claire mocked her boyfriend, knowing that he would give her a grimace. When he turned around and stuck out his tongue she let out a laugh. With a small disappointment, she finished off her cracker jacks, throwing the bag into a nearby garbage can and started to sip her water. She felt much better now, much more level headed, now that she had something in her system. As soon as the train came they would be on their way to get help and she could finally give her sister a proper call. She kicked her heels against the floor happily, lost in thought about meeting up with her sister.

"Train's coming, Clairie." Julian stepped away from the edge of the platform, throwing his bottle of soda and empty bag into the trash. He grabbed his girlfriend's hand in his and waited as the train came to a halt. "It's pretty empty, considering the time."

"Air conditioned?" Claire asked as the train stopped and the doors opened. She was answered immediately as a blast of cool air rocked from the inside of the train and onto her hot skin. Even though it was a chilly day out all the running they had been doing mixed with all the worrying had caused the day to seem like summer. She put a big smile on her face as she plopped herself down in one of the cool seats.

"Stand clear of the closing doors please." A man's voice echoed throughout the train, accompanied by a small beep. The doors closed and soon the train moved, the gears groaning as if it too were tired of the long day. The station disappeared, replaced by the dark tunnels of the underground. It may have sounded creepy but it was calming, in it's own odd manner. Even though the seats were hard they still felt comfy, especially if you have been on your feel for the whole day.

"About six stops until we get there, Claire. Maybe you should try to take a nap?" Julian whispered, wrapping his arm around Claire in a protective manner as the train stopped and a few people entered.

She nodded her head, agreeing, as she snuggled up close to Julian's chest and rested her head on his shoulder. "A nap sounds too good."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**: Until You Love Me

Piotr got out from the car, leaning on the frame as he glanced over to Logan. It crossed his mind to say an 'I told you so' line, but he didn't want to get on the Wolverine's bad side. It should've been pretty obvious that Kitty's sister wouldn't be at the same phone booth that she was....four hours ago. Especially with now dangerous this part of town seemed. Maybe the Professor told them to come down here for a good reason. What that good reason was, Piotr didn't know. He was only getting angry at being here.

As soon as the sun had set and the night swallowed up the day, people flocked out of their houses. What seemed like nice people were actually mutant hating individuals. They gathered on street corners, waiting for others with big signs and flags. It was something else to hear about mutant hate but to witness it up close and personal, was something _very_ different.

"Let's just get back in the car." Logan suggested ready to open the driver side door, but he found himself hesitating. A part of him wanted to see what these mutant haters would do. How did they go about rallying around and causing riots? It intrigued him, now pitiful they were.

"I want to see this." Alyce spoke quietly. Logan let out a sigh of relief knowing that he wasn't the only one who wanted to see what was going on. Alyce looked over to Remy and Piotr, both of who nodded in agreement. They were all curious in their own ways. As much as they knew they had to find Kitty's sister their bodies wanted to stay put. Would the people walking by notice them as mutants?

"Remy doesn't like this. Remy thinks we should get back in the car and leave, call the Professor. We're not here to look." For emphasis he tugged on Alyce's arm. She took out Kitty's phone from her jacket pocket and handed it to him.

"Give him a call, tell him that Claire isn't here." She flipped the phone open and punched in the Mansion's number, handing it over to Remy who was all to eager to do the talking. Her ears perked up, the sounds of chants filling the streets. As the people walked down the block others began to join in quickly. Alyce looked up at the buildings, catching a few people looking out—some closing their windows and shades. She even saw a little boy with a cup of water, ready to throw it out the window, when his mother pulled him back inside.

"This feels like something out of a history text book." Piotr mumbled over to Alyce, who nodded her head in amazement. It did feel like they were right in something that _would_ soon be history. Would the next generation be reading about this? About how mutants were generally hated? Feared? Would they even hear about the people who loved them? How mutants weren't all skulls and crossbones.

"Professor says that Clairie is on the Middle East Side." Remy told everyone, closing the phone and pushing it in Alyce's jacket.

"Hey! Did you just mention District X?!" One of the rioters shouted across the street, pointing at Remy and everyone stopped to gauge his reaction. A few lowered their signs while others held up them up even higher. Someone clunked their baseball bat on the floor, impatient at Remy's waiting to answer.

Oh. Fuck.

"Why don't you mind you're own business, bub." Logan was the first to spit out his distaste. It was going to cost all of them. It wasn't something of a myth that District X was only for mutants. Alyce knew for a fact that these rioters wouldn't think twice about setting foot there. Not with their signs and stupid weaponry.

Piotr, as much as he hated the unwanted attention, was liking this one. He could feel his fingers curl into a fist as the man who had blurted out toward them walked closer. All the guy needed was one solid knock to the face, Piotr not even powered up, for him to fall to the floor. Out cold. Everyone seemed up for the idea, he could just tell by their faces. Alyce gritting her teeth, her eyes serious and stern. Logan, his lips curled up into an adventurous smile. Remy, who didn't like the idea of them being there in the first place, slipped his hand into the inner pocket of his trench coat. No doubt, his playing cards and folded up bo-staff at his finger tips.

"Wait..." Alyce spoke, getting Piotr to snap out of his dangerous state of mind. "We need to get going. We need to get Kitty's sister. That's the only thing we came for."

"That's what Remy was trying to say before!" Remy growled, stomping his foot on the ground like a three year old. As he made his way toward the back door of the car, a bottle came crashing toward him. It barely missed him, but instead shattered over his boot, the pungent smell of cheap liquor splattering on his pants. Now this....made him angry.

Quickly, Alyce ran over to Remy and patted his shoulder. His pants changed and so did his boots. It was a good thing that it was night. Or else she was sure the group of rioters would've seen her little magic trick. "Car, Remy." Alyce spoke, almost commanding him to get inside. She had never seen the Cajun get angry, only heard, and that was enough.

He gritted his teeth in anger looking down at the broken bottle and wiping the small flecks of liquor that had crashed on his face. He took a step forward, a new of the rioters taking a step back, seeing how angry he looked. Alyce placed her hands on his shoulders, gently pushing him toward the car. He steadied himself on her elbows as he staggered back. Alyce, thinking quick, shot a look at everyone else and they all nodded. They didn't need Remy shooting his kinetic cards all over the place. They had enough on their hands, adding would only be worse.

Eventually they had all gotten in the car, strapping themselves in, weary of the angry Cajun. He sat in his seat with his teeth still gritted together and his fists clenched. To make up for his mishap, Alyce rolled down the window, waving at the rioters with a grin.

"Just for fun?" Alyce asked, still looking out the window but directing her question to Logan.

"You're going to do it even if I say no." Logan chuckled, starting up the engine.

"Sweet." Alyce looked over to Remy and motioned for him to look out the window. He did so just in time to see a black tentacle whip out, making every single one of the rioters fall on their rears with a thump.

A small smile creeped on Remy's face. His teeth clenching relaxed and he let his hands rest. "_Magnifique."_

*

*

Claire knew that if the place didn't have a sign they would've been wondering around for hours. Squeezing her boyfriend's hand, they looked up at the building that they had been searching for. That they had traveled all this way to get too. Even though it was a dingy looking building, in a dingy part of town, to Claire it looked like heaven. Golden gates and all.

As Julian walked up the steps and looked for a buzzer, Claire sat on the stoop. She took out a small mirror she had in her jacket, trying her best to fix her hair to look presentable. Her attention shifted to across the street. Sitting on another stoop was another girl, beside her a few of her friends. They all seemed to be having such a good time, not having a care in the world. They were in Mutant Town, they didn't have to worry about hiding who they really were. Claire smiled, when the other girl looked up. The two caught each other's eye and they both waved.

"_X Factor Investigations—who 'ye be?"_ Came a sudden strong Scottish accent from the intercom. "_ 'Ah hope 'ya know how fuckin' late it is!"_

Julian shot a look over to Claire and she giggled. Julian on the other hand was a bit nervous. He knew that voice all to well. Rahne Sinclair. But he had known her as Wolfsbane. Getting into exactly _how_ he knew the group wasn't up for discussion. Julian was a rich boy and at times he used it toward his advantage. It was all you needed to know.

Julian sighed, waiting for Rahne to finish her mad rant. He had hoped Jamie would answer the intercom, or at least one of his dupes. "Rahne, it's me Julian. Open up." He finally was able to speak.

"_Ahh, Julian Keller. 'Ye be needin' a good ass whoopin' from me, 'ya lil' smite---"_ A little rustle was heard over the intercom, Rahne letting out a growl before another voice came over the speaker.

"_Sorry about that Julian, come on up._"

The intercom let out a buzz, Julian pushing himself into the creeky door and opening it wide. He motioned for Claire to walk in first. Timidly, she did so, looking down the hallway at the narrow set of steps. The building in general looked old and decrepit, but she had seen worse.

"Who were the voices?" Claire asked, a bit nervous about meeting new people. She walked up a set of narrow steps, following Julian as he shook his head in annoyance.

"First one was Rahne. She kinda hates me but it's ok. She might a Wolf when we up to the place, she likes trying to scare me." Julian rolled his eyes. As if Rahne might scare him. He was quick when it came to using his powers...but then again...Rahne _could_ turn into a giant wolf. A giant _Scottish_ wolf. "Her boyfriend is a guy named Rictor, kind of a quiet guy."

Claire let out a small laugh. "She sounds like someone I would love to know."

"No, she isn't." Julian scoffed. "The other one, who buzzed us up, was Siryn. You might see a big guy in there--" Jamie held his arms up as if he were bulking up his muscles. "--That's Strong Guy, but call him Guido. Another woman with black hair, that's Monet. And a young girl, her name is Laya...she kinda freaks me out."

"That's mean, Julian." Claire scolded. They finally reached the door and she fixed her jacket and hair once more.

"You'll see why. But yea, last but not least—the good 'ol Jamie Madrox." Julian smiled and knocked on the door. Almost immediately he regretted doing so. It was Monet who answered the door, just waking up and still in her underwear, a pair of headphones wrapped over her ears. She sleepily took them off and rubbed her eyes, giving both Julian and Claire the once over.

"It's late." Was the only thing she spoke before she left the door open and walked back to her room. That was Mona for you. Really laid back type of girl. But she could get angry when she needed to. Julian had heard of her going berserk...Siryn too, especially Rahne. These were a group of girls that he never wanted to be on their bad side. He wondered how Julian, Guido and Rictor dealt with it.

Julian guided Claire in as he closed the door, locking it shut. They had gotten only a few steps down the hallway when a girl appeared at the end of the hall. She was short but it didn't mean she wasn't intimidating. Her white tank top and short skirt, her pippy like stripped long stockings and necklace only creeped Julian out. Her short blond hair in low pig tails and just the over all smirk on her face made him shudder. Claire on the other hand was beaming with a smile.

"Hi! I'm Claire."

"Yea, I know that. I'm Layla Miller....I know stuff."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**: Dupe-De-Doo

Claire didn't understand why.

Why did she have to wake up Jamie Madrox? She didn't even know him. So why give her the task of waking him up from his slumber? As soon as Jamie's name was mentioned everyone scattered off to do their own thing. Was he that scary?

Julian had gone into the kitchen with Guido, the two making a late night dinner for everyone. Monet had decided to wake up but hadn't decided if she wanted to get dressed or not. At the moment she was still walking around in her underwear as if no one was phased by it. When Claire had looked for someone to take her duty, of waking up Jamie, she found Siryn. She, however, encouraged Claire to scare the living day lights out of him.

Claire needed to find someone else to help her.

Rictor, Rahne's love interest, was at first interested. Just when Claire thought she had someone to do the deed for her, he changed his mind. "He needs a good scare, anyway." Was what Rictor told Claire, leaving her in a bewildered state. Feeling defeated she made her way into his office, gently closing the door as to not make a sound. The first thing she noticed was the small spider man night light. The second was that he was sleeping on a couch. _This_ was going to be a good one.

So here she was. Claire Pryde....standing over the sleeping Jamie Madrox. He looked as if he was in a deep sleep, calm, serene, and pretty cute. Gently, with a wobbly hand, Claire extended her arm. "_If he doesn't wake up as soon as I touch his shoulder, I'm done."_ Claire thought, biting her lip with uncertainty. She made a mental note to get Julian back for setting her up like this. Her small hand touched the sleeping man's shoulder. She jerked back a bit, Jamie stirring in his sleep.

"But...but, I don't _want_ to go to school..." Jamie mumbled as he turned on his side, away from Claire, and hugged the couch pillow tightly in his arms. Claire slapped her hand over her mouth, trying her best not to break out into laughter. Here he was, some grown man complaining that he didn't want to go to school. Who would've thought? He wasn't as intimidating as everyone else made him out to be.

Everyone had said it was alright to scare the guy, but Claire was feeling bad for him. He didn't seem like such a bad guy for someone like her to make his heart stop. Once more she gently rested her hand on his shoulder, this time she squeezed it gently. "Ummm, Wake up?" Claire whispered, feeling stupid at how she sounded. He stirred once more, this time turning on his back and his eyes slowly opening.

"Jamie?" Claire looked down at him, both their eyes meeting. Everything was ok for a second until Jamie realized some stranger girl was standing in front of him. His heart nearly skipped a beat as he quickly sat up, banging heads with Claire. Almost immediately upon impact five identical copies popped out of him, causing Claire to scream at how abrupt it was—which caused Jamie to let out an even louder gasp like scream.

Both Claire and Jamie stood speechless, rubbing their heads as they tried to make sense of the situation. Sense would've came more easily if it wasn't for the five laughing dupes and the howling laughter coming from outside the office. No doubt _that_ laughter coming from Julian and the rest of the X-Factor group.

"Did you see his face!" One of the dupes laughed, slapping his knee.

"You mean, our face?" Replied another. He was obviously very annoyed and it was apparent on how he scowled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I think he means your face."

"No, are you stupid? We all have the same face. So therefore it's our face!"

The fifth one groaned. "Can all of you just _shut _up?!"

The real Jamie, still rubbing his head on the couch, let out a sigh of annoyance. "Shutting up is a good idea." All the dupes groaned their disappointment and made their way back to where they belonged. After a few odd minutes of awkward silence, both Claire and Jamie let out a laugh.

"I'm really sorry about the—you know...." Claire pointed to her head then held out her arms, trying to mimc the five other Jamie's that popped out of him.

"Oh, it's no problem. Didn't mean to startle 'ya. It's not every day a pretty lady comes to wake me up." Two things were the most important to know about Jamie Madrox. He was a joker and a charmer. He got up from the couch and introduced himself, sticking out his hand in a friendly manner. It may have looked as if he was trying to hit on the poor girl but he actually wasn't. He didn't need to go to jail for seducing a minor.

Claire shook his hand, motioning behind her at the office door. "They told me to do it." She mumbled as the two of them walked outside the office, smiles on their faces.

"I heard someone scream like a girl...and it wasn't the little lady." Guido joked as he came out of the kitchen with a huge plate of some type of food. He set the plate on the table, the first to sit down was Rahne. How she managed to sit down and not fall off the seat form her laughter was a mystery.

"Aye, 'ye lil' Madrox has a set of lungs on 'em, ey?" She took a sip of her water from a cup that Layla had handed her and went on back to laughing. Everyone else, their faces beat red, sat at the table. Including Julian, who was trying his best not to laugh at his girlfriend's face. But he just couldn't help it.

"Well?" Rahne piped up. She motioned to two empty seats on either side of the table and pointed to Claire and Jamie with a scowl. "'Ye don't be needin' an invitation 'ta sit down, do 'ya? We ain't eatin' until we say Grace."

A hungry stomach was heard whining in protest. Everyone at the table shot their annoyed looks of hunger at the two still standing. Checking his head once more, Jamie scratched his head and took a step aside from Claire. He motioned for her to sit down first, as a proper gentle men should, and stuck the finger out to everyone else. Claire sat down in her seat, apologizing to everyone with a small voice but they shooed her apology away.

"It's not time to be sayin' sorry, laddie. It's time to eat!" Rahne smiled, running a hand through her short hair.

Jamie let out a yawn and walked over to Claire, placing a hand on her shoulder before he went to sit down. "Welcome to X-Factor."

_____

A/N: Short chapter, I know. I'm writing another one as soon as I get this posted to make up for it ;D


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**: Pointe Blank

"Just answer it." Alyce growled as she pushed the pink vibrating phone toward Logan. It had started buzzing like crazy in the past few minutes, some unknown number calling non stop. Did Kitty have a phone stalker? Alyce wasn't one for answer calls from a stranger. She never was and she wasn't going to start now. She finally was able to give Logan the phone but once again it had stopped ringing.

Logan had long since parked the car in an abandoned garage, once the phone started going off the hook. A few minutes had passed by, everyone playing hot potato with the small piece of forbidden technology. You would think that they were supposed to be on a mission. They all had their reasons for not picking up the phone. For one, it could be Kitty calling her own phone looking for updates. And none of them wanted to deal with a hysterical girl at the moment. If it was important, they were all sure that the Professor would've contacted them telepathically. Two, it could be Avalanche. No one here had a reason, as of now, to talk to the guy. Plus, they didn't need to spend time telling him why his girlfriend didn't have her phone and why _they _did instead.

Logan passed the phone to Remy, who passed it to Piotr who passed it back to Alyce with a scowl.

"Just answer it, kid." Logan spoke with a stern in his voice. "What do I look like, some gruffy guy with a scruffy voice, answering a girls phone? Whoever it is might think Kitty's gotten kidnapped."

"_Mon cheri_, just answer the phone."

"I agree. You're the only girl here." Piotr patted Alyce's shoulder and she let out an annoyed growl. She looked down at the phone, waiting for it to ring. After a few minutes the phone began to vibrate. Giving everyone a death glare, Alyce picked up the phone. She took a deep breath and;

"Hello?"

Everyone braced themselves for impact. If it was Kitty, Alyce was fucked.

"Uh, no. You're right....this isn't Kitty. No, I didn't steal her ph—NO! She's not dead. I'm Alyce, Kitty's friend from the Institute. Is this Claire?" Alyce let out a smile as she gave everyone a thumbs up. They all let out a sigh of relief and Logan started the car back up.

"Yea, the Professor sent us to come get you." Alyce dug through the glove compartment, holding the phone in between her shoulder and her cheek. She found a small map and opened it up, mumbling her yes and no's into the phone. She looked at the map intently, finally finding a small part of the map and showing it to Logan. "Gotcha. We'll be there to come get you. Talk to you then." Alyce snapped the phone shut in her palm, giving everyone a bright smile.

"Time to finish this mission."

*

*

Claire felt a wave of relaxation wash over her. Kitty had told her about Alyce before, maybe once or twice, so she didn't really know her. But it didn't matter. Someone with a familiar name, someone who knew her sister, was coming to get her. Her _and_ Julian. She hung the phone up, getting up from Jamie's desk and making her way back to the living room. After everyone had had their full meal they had once again drifted off into their own worlds. Most of them asleep aside from Jamie, Siryn and Julian.

"You got threw?" Julian pepped up, noticing Claire's smile and her relaxed state. She nodded and took her place next to him on the couch, leaning over and resting her head on his shoulder.

"The Professor sent a group of people to come look for us. They should be here in a few minutes." Claire smiled, this time more to herself than anyone else in the room. She entwined her arm with his and started to drift off into space.

"Hey, is she talking about Professor Xavier?" Siryn smiled over to Julian. She didn't want to interrupt the girl and her slumber. She looked like she had been out of it for the past couple of hours. She needed all the rest she could get.

"Yea, her sister goes there." Julian leaned back on the couch, guiding Claire to rest her head on his lap. She settled herself in and he patted her head gently, twirling her hair in his fingers. "Thanks for buzzing us up. I really didn't know where else to go."

Siryn let out a little chuckle, pulling back her red-orange hair away from her face. She looked over to Jamie, deciding to let him say his string of jokes at the rich boy.

"Anywhere else to go? You gotta be kiddin' me. You got like---what, five Ducati's in your lot? You could've went anywhere." Jamie sat up in his seat and pretended to be driving a car, he steered to his right, knocking into Siryn with a gentle bump.

Julian let out a humble laugh. "Yea, well, as soon as Claire called me I rushed to go get her. I wasn't thinking about my Ducati's."

Siryn leaned over in her chair, looking at Julian with a confused look. "She's a human?" Not that there was anything wrong with that, but she and Jamie were sharing the same confused look. The way Claire handled herself you would've thought she was a mutant. She didn't seem afraid of anything, besides Jamie's girly screech.

"Is it that surprising? Can't a guy have a nice girl---"

"Mister Play Boy '_I'm so rich_'?" Jamie interrupted. "Whatever happened to your date 'em dump 'em thing?"

"Meeting Claire changed that. You know the whole story. Guy has a wild life, meets one down to earth girl and changes his whole life. That sorta' thing." Julian gave off a small smile and rubbed Claire's shoulders. He looked up to Jamie and flashed him the finger, a cheesy grin on his face. "Fuck off, Madrox."

Jamie held his hands up in defense. "I'm glad you came to Mutant Town, though. We've been watching most of the conferences on TV. Things have been getting pretty intense. Especially the rioting."

"Ugh, do we have to talk about this now?" Siryn groaned, getting up from her seat and disappearing to somewhere else in the apartment.

"Heh, we're all kind of touchy on the subject. But it's gotta be spoken about." Jamie defended himself against Siryn's outburst. Julian nodded, knowing all to well about the feeling. He guessed every mutant felt that way. It was just an unexplainable feeling of dread. Like something heavy had been strapped onto their backs and they were forced to carry it around. Whenever you heard a loud sound in the street you would look back. Was it the government coming to cuff you and ship you off to some mutant jail?

Julian looked down at Claire, placing a small kiss on her forehead. Hopefully everything that was happening would pass soon. He didn't know what he would do if he got separated from Claire. Getting separated just because he was a mutant and she was a regular girl? It was the most heartbreaking thing he could think of.

Jamie let out a yawn. He leaned back in his chair and propped his feet up on the nearby coffee table. "So, I guess you're leaving as soon as they come to get you?" He asked, closing his eyes and propping his arms behind his head.

Julian stood silent for a moment. Maybe the best thing for him to do was give Claire over to the people that could protect more than he. With her sister she was more protected, not to mention with more mutants who he was sure would look out for her. He played with a strand of her hair as he thought more about his decision. "I was thinking of just having Claire go."

"You don't say? Why so?"

"At the Mansion she has more eyes on her, you know? Today, I could only do so much."

"So you're saying..." Jamie sat up in on the couch, leaning over the armrest to grab a pillow before settling back down. "...you're going to put her there so she'll have an entire army of mutant bodyguards?"

"When you put it like that, yea."

"Guy to guy here, Julian, that's pretty stupid. I get where you're going with it but you need her just as much as she needs you. You should go with her to the Mansion. I've been there, Siryn's been there...heck even grumpy ol' Wolf lady has too. You won't regret it."

"Sure you've guys have been there. But that sort of stuff isn't for me. I've learned to use my powers on my own. I don't need---"

"You're whining like a little girl." Jamie smiled knowing that would get Julian to shut up. "Just go. It's not going to kill you. If you don't like it then....you can always go back home or something. But we both know if your Clairie is there you're not going to leave...are you?"

There was a small silence.

"I hate it when you're right, Madrox."

A door from one of the rooms opened, Layla Miller walking out into the living room giving both boys a strange look.

"Isn't it past your bed time?" Julian scowled, trying to avoid contact with her. She was just standing there, giving him a creepy know it all look. Well, that was of course because she did know it all. Or how she liked to phrase it; _stuff._

Layla let out a huff as she sat across from Julian on one of the other couches. "I don't really have a bed time." She told him with a monotone. She knew already (of course) that Julian thought of her as creepy. What he didn't know was that the way she acted around him was only to freak him out on purpose.

"In about five minutes there's going to be a knock at the door. You better move over a bit because Jamie is going to get scared and bump into you. You don't want his dupes falling on Claire, do you?" She held up her hand as Julian started to say something, signaling that she wasn't finished. "Also, a bit of advice, stay away from the pineapple tart. You're allergic."

"What the fu--" Julian started before a rather loud bang on the door caused him to jump. Jamie woke up with a startle, waving his hand up and slapping Julian in the face. Eight, not five, dupes came out this time, all of them nearly falling on Claire if Julian hadn't gotten up in time. Claire, now awake, plastered against Julian and the couch. Jamie, now arguing with his dupes caused everyone else to wake up once more.

Julian looked over to Layla with a bland look. He wished he could curse her out for being right. He hated when she was right. She smiled at him and waved, getting up from the couch.

"I told you so."


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Sorry about the day wait, readers. Here's the chapter!

**Chapter Thirteen**: Head Hunter

Alyce knew how to use her power. It wasn't like she had gotten the thing yesterday. She had made cars before but now, when she had to make one, she just couldn't. She didn't know what kind of a car to make. Of course it had to be something nice and big enough to fit everyone in, but she just couldn't think of any well known car brands. Alyce shrugged to herself as she continued to look at the Logan's car with a distaste. The rest of the group was still up at Jamie's, chit-chatting. Actually....they were still up there to see Logan and Jamie fling insults at each other.

Alyce sighed and sat on the hood of the car, looking around the empty indoor car lot. Wouldn't it have been obvious that if they were going to pick a new person up that Logan would've took another car? Obviously not. Alyce placed her hand down on the hood and began to think, once more, about what car she should make, or what kind of add on she should put. It was nice to know that here, in District X, she could use her powers freely and not worry about people freaking out.

"Remy is going to suggest something."

"And what's that?" Alyce looked up from the floor, casting her gaze onto Remy who had walked into the car lot. He pointed to Logan's car and pretended to stick his finger down this throat. Alyce chuckled and smiled. Remy wasn't one for fancy cars. He was pleased with the small things in life, it's what made him down to earth.

"Can we please, please, _please_ get jet packs?" Remy clasped his hands together and gave Alyce his best puppy dog eyes. He knew Alyce could make anything she fathomed, so why not a jet pack? Easy transport and they could see the city lights while they flew. It was perfect. Besides, making jet packs was way easier than making a new car.

Alyce let out a small laugh. "Do you even know how to maneuver a jet pack, Remy? It's not as easy as it looks."

Remy rolled his eyes and sat on the hood of the car next to Alyce. "It can't be _that _hard. Remy flies them pretty good in _les jeux vidéos_. It can't be so much different in real life."

"Video games? Let's be serious here." Alyce shook her head, trying her best to not break out into laughter. She had to give it to Remy though. It was nice to act kiddish and believe everything was so innocently wonderful. It was something Alyce wished she could do so often as Remy. She got up from where she leaned and motioned for Remy to get up. She quickly placed her hands on the car and it began to morph. The whole backside of the car began to bubble and before Remy could blink, it was now a van.

"Hey, that's a pretty neat trick."

Alyce stuck her hands in her pocket as she turned around, now face to face with a strange boy. He was a bit taller than she was, Alyce was convinced it was the sneakers he was wearing. His jet black hair hair was matted down, as if he had been running around all day with no stops. Despite his ragged, tired, and depleted appearance Alyce could tell he was younger than she was.

"Yea, it is isn't it. Who are you again?" She hadn't seen the boy or heard of him before. Last time she checked they only came for Claire. She looked over to Remy, as if trying to gauge some help, but he plastered a smile on his face and looked the other way. He found it funny whenever Alyce encountered new people. She would always give them this sort of look and they would often just turn around and leave her alone. He wanted to tell her that was Claire's boyfriend, but the boy had to fear some females in his life. Who better than Alyce?

Julian, taken back by Alyce's question, stuck out his hand awkwardly. "My name's Julian Keller. I'm Claire's boyfriend."

"Hold on a second." Alyce smiled politely. She quickly turned around and punched Remy on his arm. Her kind of a warning for him to not pull the wool over her eyes again. She turned back to Julian and shook his hand. "I'm Alyce."

Julian nodded his head. "Logan suggested I come down to let you two know that he's almost done."

"Done? What's he doing?"

"Jamie and him are busy hurling jokes at one another. Claire is having too much fun watching them. So is your other friend---uhhh, I think his name was P-p-..."

"Piotr." Alyce told Julian, who smiled and thanked her. "It took me a while to get used to saying his name, too."

"Remy just calls his Colossus, makes things _much_ easier."

Julian wanted to laugh at Remy's joke but to him it didn't make much sense. Was it even a joke? Julian checked his watch, wondering when Claire would come down. "Why do you call him that?" He asked over to Remy, who gave him a bland stare as if he was _supposed_ to know. Alyce shooed Remy away and into the car.

"I think you'll find that out sooner or later." Alyce answered Julian with a small smile. He just smiled back, not sure what to say and followed them into the car. He knew the group were mutants but he wasn't exactly sure what their powers were. It seemed, Alyce however, could bend certain shapes. Was that it? He got into the car and buckled himself in, deciding to ponder on it later.

*

*

Claire didn't babble like an idiot. Not that Kitty was an idiot but the girl could go on and on for hours on end about nothing. Claire, however, was silent like a lamb. It was probably because she was tired, but everyone could tell she was way different from her sister.

Logan had taken a bit too long to get back to the garage, so Alyce had taken it upon herself to drive. It was a good thing no one objected. The car ride back to West Chester was a quiet one. The main reason why was because the trip back was about two hours. Claire and Julian had fallen asleep once they had gotten on the highway. Remy had also fallen asleep, his head resting on Piotr's shoulder. It wasn't that Piotr minded Remy sleeping on his shoulder (maybe he did a little but what could he do?), he was more worried about Remy drooling on his jacket.

Logan was too angry to drive, muttering something about '_killing him and his stupid dupes'_. Alyce knew better than to ask an angry Wolverine things. So as soon as he had entered the passengers side of the car, Alyce took it was her cue to drive. After his silent complaining Logan, to, had fallen asleep. A few times her phone had buzzed, no doubt it being John to ask how things were going. Or Bella to ask where she had misplaced something. They would both have to wait until she got back to the Mansion to bother her.

"Ummm, Alyce?" Claire's quiet voice suddenly spoke. Alyce glanced in the rear view mirror, forgetting that the girl had even been in the car.

"Yea? Everything ok? The boy's snoring getting to you?" Alyce turned on her left blinker, switching lanes with ease before looking back in the mirror.

Claire giggled softly as to not wake up the boys. "No, everyone is fine. I just wanted to say thanks. You know, for getting Julian and I."

"You don't have to say thanks. We did it because we wanted too. It's our job." Alyce joked, smiling as she heard Claire giggle again.

"I bet Kitty freaked out or something." Claire looked out the window of the car, watching as Alyce brought the small car to a halt. Stuck in traffic. Who would've thought? At two in the morning, traffic.

"She freaked out a bit, but that's expected. You are, after all, her sister. My cousin freaks out when I'm gone for a couple of hours. You two will get along. She's a human, like you."

"She's at the Mansion?" Claire asked with a hint of excitement. She had thought that school was only for Mutants. It was nice to know that she would be alone. Well, she knew she wouldn't be alone but in the sense of being the only human. She felt nervous about going to the school.

"Yup, been there for a few months too. Long story, but she's there to stay." Alyce mumbled her curses at the driver in front of her. She wanted so bad to honk the horn but she didn't want to disturb anyone's sleeping. He didn't know whether to move into the next lane or not. He kept backing up which cause Alyce to keep backing up and so on and so on. If she could have gotten away with it, she would've shot his car up into the moon. Talk about road rage.

Alyce looked back in her seat, in time to see Claire pat her grumbling stomach. "Hungry?" Alyce asked. "I'm taking requests, once in a life time thing."

"What?" Claire asked smiling. "What do you mean?"

"Hard to explain. So what do you want to eat?"

Claire began to think. What did she want? Maybe once they got out of traffic, Alyce would drive some place to eat. It was the only logical explanation Claire could think of. "How about a whopper?"

"With the works, I'm assuming?"

"Totally! Oh, no soda. It's kinda icky. How about a vanilla shake?" Claire never knew she could get so giddy about getting something to eat. She was almost tempted to ask for a kids meal, just to get the toy, but she knew she wouldn't get full off of the small meal.

"Alright, coming right up." Alyce motioned for Claire to hold out her hands and she did so, confused. Gently, Alyce placed her hand over Claire's. Almost immediately the texture of wrapping paper and the warm feeling of hot food entered Claire's hand. In her other hand, Claire felt a small box of fries.

"It's hot....hold on a second." Alyce quickly formed her hands together and a small tray came out. She placed it on Claire's lap. She made the shake and placed it in the cup holder, next to Claire. "Enjoy."

Still amazed at the warm food in her hands, Claire looked up and only answered with a big toothy smile. She unwrapped the burger and took a big bite. "Amhmnks!" She mumbled, slurping a bit of lettuce that had fallen on her chin.

"I'm guessing that means 'thanks' in human talk?" Alyce felt good knowing that she had helped the hungry girl. The way she was eating however, was making Alyce hungry too. Could you get a felony for eating and driving? Alyce didn't really want to find out.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Yes, I know. I failed to update yesterday. Blame my ever growing laziness. :( *Please don't kill me*

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**Chapter Fourteen**: Touch

On purpose, as they drived into the garage, Alyce pressed hard on the break. It was just too funny to see a bunch of boys get rudely awakened. Everyone slinked out of the car with a groan, their stiff joints aching and protesting to be laid into bed. The two hour drive had Alyce already seeing double and it took her more than just a head shake to get rid of the effect.

"What time is it?" Logan asked, looking as if he hated the world. Alyce couldn't blame him, everyone liked to get their sleep. She felt a bit bad of waking them up how she did.....wait...no she didn't.

Logan growled when no one answered him and everyone quickly scrambled to find a watch. Remy grabbed at Alyce's hand, bringing her wrist up to his face. He squinted at the bracelet with a confused face. "What kind of time is this?" He asked, letting go of Alyce's hand.

"It's a _bracelet_. Not a watch." Alyce answered, getting back in the car to find a suitable parking space. She knew she would hear it from Scott if she didn't put the thing in the spot that it was supposed to be. Anything to not hear that guy's mouth, Alyce was determined to find the best spot she could find.

"It's---" Julian looked at his watch, his eyes bulging. "----four in the morning."

Everyone, including Claire, let out a groan. Their sleeping schedules were going to so off for the next couple of days. Claire made her way over to Julian and rested her head on his chest. Remy could barely keep his eyes open, neither could Logan. The only people who seemed to be the most awake were Piotr and Alyce.

"Piotr, seeing as how you're not a zombie, could you bring Julian to one of the spare rooms." Logan said this more as a command than a question. Piotr nodded and Logan thanked him. "Alyce will take the little one to her room."

"Remy thinks later on in the day we can become more acquainted. For now, Remy is off to beddie bye time." Remy patted Claire on her shoulder before he wobbled out of the garage and up the stairs. Logan said his good nights to the two new comers and disappeared up the stairs as well.

"So, looks like I'm the tour guide." Alyce spoke as she walked up toward Claire.

Claire smiled and gave Julian a quick kiss on the cheek. She watched as Piotr guided him through the garage and up the stairs. She turned to Alyce and gave her a high five."I'm sure you're a good tour guide."

Alyce was the first to walk toward the stairs, Claire following close. "Aren't you supposed to be sleepy?" She asked as the they walked up and entered the main hall of the Mansion. A small chuckle escaped her lips as Claire let out a surprised gasp.

"Wow....this is.....beautiful. You guys live here?" Not believing how amazing this place was, Claire walked up to a small stone statue, running her fingers over it gently. This whole place was other worldly, almost like a dream.

"I was the same way when I first got here. You get used to it pretty quick." That good old feeling of nostalgia entered Alyce's mind and she found herself getting excited just as much as Claire. "You know you're pretty lucky that you're going to be set up in one of the spare rooms."

Claire, noticing that Alyce had continued walking down the hall, jogged to catch up to her. "What do you mean? I'm sure all the rooms are lovely here."

"They are lovely, indeed. It's just that the dorms are a bit rough." That was something Alyce knew all to well. She'd rather die than go back to sleeping in the dorms.

The pair walked up the grand staircase, Claire often stopping to admire the random paintings from high up. The few times they had stopped, Alyce found herself becoming more and more of a tour guide. It was actually pretty funny. It also made her feel old. When you can properly tell the history of one of Kurt's statues, you were old. After a few more stops and a few more tour guide notes, the two finally reached the West Wing. Also known as the Girl's Sector.

"Hey, before we go inside can I ask you something?" Claire asked with a low voice, tapping Alyce on the shoulder as she did.

"Sure, what's up?"

"Do you think I could sleep in Kitty's Room? She won't mind me snuggling in her bed." Claire looked up at Alyce with a pleading eye. How could she say no to that? It's not like she could say no, Alyce did have Bella sharing the same room as her and they were cousins. So why not sisters? Alyce opened the doors to the dorm and motioned for Claire to walk in first.

"Your wish is my command. It make take a while to get there though, I don't really know where her dorm is." Alyce began to think as they walked down the hall, skipping the large dorms and over to the Private Rooms. Kitty's room wasn't that hard to find once they got there. With a huge pink sign saying; 'Kitty & Rogue', it wasn't a no brainer who slept behind those doors.

"Well, this is it." Alyce stepped to the side and watched as Claire looked at the sign. She laughed and poked the sign as if it would move.

"That's Kitty for you." She added, still looking at the sign with a mock interest. It was nice to know her sister really didn't change in the months they had been apart. It was going to be awesome waking up and surprising her. She would wake her up now, she knew Kitty wouldn't mind it, but she was dead tired. "I guess I'll see you in the morning?" Claire now looked over to Alyce, hopeful that she would say yes. It _was_ a pretty big Mansion and she didn't want to lose sight of the people who had helped her. She would officially think of them as her first friends.

"It's already the morning." Alyce chuckled. "You must mean late afternoon, because I'm going to be crashing." Awkwardly, Alyce gave the small girl a hug. She watched as Claire entered the room and before closing the door, waved her goodbye. Alyce did the same, but quickly motioned for Claire to come back out.

"I'm going to bet with you on something. Is that alright?"

"Sure?" Claire questioned with a weird look on her face. It must've been something funny, she could tell by Alyce's snarky smile. Claire knew Kitty was often the center of jokes only because she startled so easily, which led her to phase. Claire had to admit, that even she had scared Kitty a number of times just to see the girl stumble through a solid object. It was actually pretty funny and she had the videos to prove it. "Wait, let me guess first. It has something to do with Kitty phasing, doesn't it?"

Promptly, Alyce placed her hands on her hips. "Are you _sure_ you aren't a mutant?" She asked with a hint of sarcasm.

"I'm not, I swear. But I'll let you know if Kitty phases in the morning."

The two girls high fived and that was that. Deal was done. Alyce would get to know the funnies when she got up and Claire would have fun telling the story. It would be an afternoon well spent. Alyce turned on her heel as soon as Claire closed the door, making her way down the hall to her dorm. She unzippered her jacket and took it off, letting down her hair so she could just kick off her shoes and crash. It was when she turned the corner that she stopped in her tracks.

There was a certain John boy sitting outside of her door.

Why was he even awake at this un-godly hour? With a mock curiosity, Alyce made her way over to her door. She walked slowly as she got closer, looking at John as if he might spring up and try to scare her. But he was actually awake. Weird.

"Why are you still up?" Alyce asked, a bit of laughter accompanying her question. John looked up to her and rolled his eyes.

"I was sleeping until your brat of a cousin woke up and kicked me out. I thought I would be a nice guy and wait for you. I can see why now I never liked being the nice guy." John scowled as he said this, looking at the door as if it were Bella. His hair was bed tossed and his eyes were a bit blood shot. Alyce knew he would be crashing until late afternoon as well. Great minds did think a like. At times....

"Sorry we took so long. But we're back, with two in tow." Alyce let out a yawn and slinked her body into John's arm. She leaned on him lazily and draped her hands around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and the leaned against the wall.

"Two knew brats to the school, huh. One being Kitty's sister....she isn't as annoying, is she?" John rested his chin on Alyce's head, holding onto her as he slid down the wall and back to sitting on the floor.

Alyce got herself comfy, using John as a form of a human pillow she leaned on his chest and curled up. "Claire is actually ok. Her boyfriend came with us, he's a mutant." She opened up her jacket and tried her best to cover her and John. It kept falling off of their shoulders and eventually stood on the floor. It crossed her mind to tell him of the riots down in New York, but she knew he would only want to go and see it first hand, not to hear about it. No doubt to make trouble.

"You know you missed the best part of the conference when you left."

"And what was that?" She could already feel her eyes droop as she talked and she was sure her voice was coming out in slurs. Hopefully, John wouldn't mind...seeing as how he too had the case of the sleepies.

John let out a yawn before he spoke. "Metal head interrupted the conference with his own broadcast. 'This is now a war!'"

Alyce bursted out laughing. She continued to laugh as John did his impersonation of everyone's favourite mutant. Magneto. He continued to mock his speech, complete with a raised fist until he broke out into a small laugh.

"You get the idea." John finished. "But you know, he had a pretty good point. He was saying that it was our time to fight back, to show everyone else what we can really do. That if they want to fear us, we should give them a reason too. It's better than hearing what the Professor had to say. Stuff about waiting it out and being patient. Why should we have to wait for them to accept us. We've accepted them, right?"

John looked down at Alyce, who had already fallen asleep. John never knew he was such an awesome late night story teller. He was sure Alyce had heard some of what he said, if she didn't he could always tell her later on. He placed a small kiss on top of her head and let out a sigh. Sure he was the big bad ass Pyro, he knew that. His days were numbered here at the Mansion. There was only so much of the goodie two shoes facade he could keep up. Sooner or later, he knew for a fact that he would be dishing out his own thoughts on what was going on. And it wouldn't be pretty.

Trying not to think of the outcome, John tried to get up. He now had a new problem. Getting Alyce into her room. There was no way he could move her to her room, which was right in front of them, without her waking up. Well, the floor _was_ comfy.....

Looks like the hallway would be the bedroom today.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Yes, I know. I didn't update yesterday. Sorry...but I'm updating today! Booya!

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**Chapter Fifteen**: Patch Me

Bella flew out of bed as soon as she had closed her phone. In the few split seconds that she had closed her phone, she knew Pietro was already at the Mansion. She only had so much time left to get in the shower and get dressed before he left. She hadn't seen him in days now and it was killing her. She missed her boyfriend, she had been so used to seeing him almost everyday that she almost needed it. Bella ran into the bathroom and stripped all her clothes off as she jumped into the shower. He had been acting funny as well, almost like he was avoiding her and everyone he knew at the Mansion. Even though, he still called her from time to time to talk to her. She was thankful for that much.

Hoping out of the shower, Bella wrapped herself in a towel and began to dig through her drawers. As she got dressed she noticed the one thing that she should've as soon as she got up. Alyce wasn't in bed. There was just no way that girl would wake up before noon so where could she be? Bella knew that even if Alyce wasn't at the Mansion she would still be fine. She could take care of herself, couldn't she? Of course she could. As Bella made her way to the door of the room she wondered how the missions went. She was dying to me Kitty's sister. Bella opened the door to the room immediately looking down to the floor and letting out a sigh.

There they were. Alyce and John. Sprawled out in the middle of the hallway like it was their own personal bed. Other students walking by were acting as if this was something they've seen everyday. Most of them carefully walked around the entwined sleeping pair and kept on with their day. Well, at least Bella knew that Alyce was ok. A part of her wanted to kick John. She didn't know why she just wanted too, but decided against it. Guess that's what it felt like to have an annoying older brother, the sudden random urge to just kick them. Carefully, Bella tip toed over the pair and made her way down the hall and down the stairs to look for the Professor's office.

*

*

Pietro knew that what he had just finished saying made no sense at all. But what could he do? He worked for his father. His father was Magneto. That alone was enough, he shouldn't have to explain anything else. So when Mystique came into the Brotherhood saying they were all going to sign up with the government it made him confused. Why would his father join with the government and make them register? This question had stuck in his mind like a fester sore and there was only one person who could answer it for him. Professor Xavier.

"My father...would _never_ do something like this." Pietro spoke to the Professor, but really he was talking to himself. Relaying old thoughts to himself over and over again. It was just nice to have someone give their insight on things. "I'm starting to think that Mystique is just playing with us, using us like pawns." He looked up to the Professor, who was seated behind his desk.

"I believe you have your thoughts in the right order, Mister Maxi---"

"Please, just Pietro."

"Of course. Pietro. Is Mystique forcing an ultimatum upon you?" The Professor waited for Pietro to answer, but the look on his face said everything so he wouldn't have too. Charles waited patiently for the young man to gather himself. Pietro looked stressed out and with the bags underneath his eyes Charles knew he hadn't slept properly in days.

"That bitch..." Pietro half chuckled with anger. "It's either cohere with her plan or get pushed out. By that I mean...she's going to hand us into the government. She's going to hand us in as criminals and trust me, I know she can do this."

"You always have a choice, Pietro. You, your sister, everyone else at the Brotherhood---"

"We're not coming here. We're not joining the X-Men. We are the Brotherhood and as long as we are, we're your enemy. It's just now, _now _this is the time when that really shines. Eventually we _will_ be fighting your X-Men. On the battlefield it doesn't matter who is, was, your friend."

"You have no idea how much you sound like your father." The Professor calmly spoke. As soon as the words left his mouth he noticed Pietro's jaw clench with anger. He would rather hear anything else than hear that he sounded like his father. But he knew that his words did speak the truth. In a world like this, Mutants and Humans, friends didn't really last forever. Neither did lovers.

Pietro shifted in his seat uncomfortably. He was going to choose to ignore what Charles Xavier had just told him. "Look, I just came here to give you some insight on what's going to happen. Not for you to brandish my father's name. I don't know much of much but here's what I know. Mystique has been talking with a woman named Valerie Cooper. I found out that she's a Natural Security Advisor for the government. So in working with her, Mystique is looking for full pardons. We work for them, they leave us alone."

The Professor sighed. So it had come down to this. "And Eric? What does he have to say about all of this?" The Professor knew that Raven had been Eric's right hand man....woman....so why would she start co operating with the government.

"He's been missing for quiet some time now and I think I know why. I over heard Mystique talking on the phone, she's been at the Brotherhood house for some time now. Our first task as the Freedom Force...to apprehend Magneto and bring him into custody. Either way I lose. If I don't join I go to jail and become a mutant lab rat. If I do join, I'm fighting you, I'm fighting my father, I'm fighting my own kind."

"You are only looking at the smaller picture here. What Mystique fails to notice is that when she fails, and she will, she will be the first on the governments list of registered mutants. Her and the entire team if they choose to follow her corrupt ideals. What you and your Brotherhood have the option of doing is coming here. Not to be X-Men, but to be _safe._"

"We can take care of our own---"

"Yes, but how long can you take care of yourselves when things start taking a downfall?"

Pietro let this question sink inside of his brain and marinate. Wanda, Dominikos, Frederick, Mortimer and Pietro. Five lonely mutants. If they did decide to rebel against Mystique how long _could_ they hold out. The sudden image of a thousand government agents shooting at them came into mind. Being placed in jail cells and being plucked out to work for them against their own people. To forever have their real names regurgitated to the public. Wherever they went, they wouldn't be known as Pietro, Wanda, Dominikos, Fred, and Mortimer. They would only be known as one thing, and one thing only. Mutant.

If they came to stay at the Mansion.....

"There is a fine line between things, Professor." Pietro spoke up, getting up from his seat with a serious face. "Things have started to get unbelievably rough for Mutants and when you get a good deal you take it. One would be foolish not too...."

The Professor's face lightened up. Pietro was making the right decision. He was going to bring his team to stay at the Mansion. Here they wouldn't have to worry about anything. Worry about the government of Mystique knocking on their front door. Here they would be safe.

"I know my choice, Professor. I know where my choice...no, my loyalties stand. And they are not with my father. If helping Mystique means being left alone by the government....then I know where I'm going."

You, Pietro, have your mind clouded.

Charles watched with a surprised face as Pietro turned on his heel and walked toward the door. "I wonder what happens when the government starts to do bigger and better things. Then where will your team be then? Your team will not be free, Pietro....they will only be branded as mutant slaves. You are sealing your fate by walking out of that door and making the wrong choice." Charles felt this need to help this boy. To help all of them understand that what there were doing was wrong. No, not wrong....just utterly stupid and reckless.

Pietro paused at the door, turning around. "I'm sorry, Professor. If any one of your X-Men come to the Brotherhood, they will be arrested and transported to the government, immediately. Regardless if the act has been passed of not...but of course, we both know it will be, soon."

*

*

"Pietro!" Bella beamed as she ran up to her boyfriend. She had gotten there just in time to see him leaving the Professor's office. She happily bounced over to him, slinging her arm into his and tippy toe-ing to give him a kiss on the cheek. "How are you! I missed you an—are you ok?" With concern now written all over her face, Bella positioned herself so that she was right in front of him. He looked defeated, angry and annoyed. What happened?

Pietro looked down at Bella, biting his tongue. In joining Mystique he was now the X-Men's enemy. Alyce's enemy. Bella's enemy. Being with her wouldn't get him in trouble, it would get her in trouble. She would be aiding a fugitive, once the act passed and things started forming. She would be put in jail, hated by people for helping, even being family with, a mutant. He placed his hand on her cheek, gently pushing her hair behind her ears. She looked scared and confused, something he never wanted to see. But he had to do this. What he was going to do wouldn't be easy. For him or for her.

Slowly, he leaned in toward, ready to kiss her. Their lips inches apart, Bella eager to kiss the man she had missed so much. She was ready to plant her lips on his when he stopped her, holding on to the back of her neck.

"You stay away from me, Bella." He whispered, giving her a slow kiss before he pulled apart from her.

"What....what are you saying?!" Bella asked, her voice breaking. She reached out and grabbed onto his arm, trying to pull him back toward her. Trying to pull him back to reality. "What are you saying Pietro? Don't sugar coat it...just _tell _me." Bella could already feel the tears coming and was trying her best to keep them at bay. She wouldn't cry in front of him...anyone but him.

Angrily, Pietro pulled his arm back to his side. "_I'm sorry that I have to do this to you, Bella."_ He thought. He wished he could say it, he really did. But he knew if he gave her any hope she would come to the Brotherhood house. She would call him, she would text. That would give her away in seconds flat. "I think you heard what I said....."

"Pietro---" Bella was going to try to reason. To try to get Pietro to think, to think with a clear head and heart. Was he really breaking up with her? She found herself not able to form the words and when she looked up...he was gone. Gone like the wind.

She stood still, rigid, with the shock realization that her boyfriend of six months had just broken up with her.

And now, this is when her world starts to crumble.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**: Little Words

Instead of making her way back to her room, Bella found herself trying to find Kitty. She held back her sniffles as she made her way through the hallway, rubbing her watery eyes. She still just couldn't believe what Pietro had done. Was it really over? Did he really just leave her to drop?

Bella stopped and leaned against a wall. She hugged herself and rubbed her shoulders, trying to calm down her nerves. She could make her way to Alyce, cry on her shoulder and be cooed to sleep. Or she could go to Kitty. Kitty was dating Avalanche, another Brotherhood member.....suddenly, another thought popped into Bella's head. If this had something to do with the Brotherhood, did it mean that Avalanche had broken up with Kitty as well? Bella quickened her pace, not really caring about her feelings but that of her friend. If it was indeed a Brotherhood thing, Bella could kindly ask Alyce to beat them up. For breaking not one but _two_ hearts. If it wasn't and Pietro was just being a dick...Bella could _still_ ask Alyce to beat him up. Either way it worked out good enough in her books.

*

*

"He just—he just said----he just said it was over!"

Claire gathered her sister's hands in her own, squeezing them gently. She just wanted to see Kitty smile, that's all, not worried about some jerk who dumped her over the phone. He didn't even have the balls to do it in person and that made Claire angry. She didn't come to the Mansion to see her sister sulk and be sad. She came to be with her usual up beat sister and have _fun_.

"Kitty, don't worry. I'm sure everything will be better soon. Let's go get some ice-cream. That always cheers you up." Claire tried to tug on her sister's arm, gently, but she wouldn't budge. With a sad expression, Claire leaned over and enveloped her sister with a hug. "C'mon Kit-Kat.....stop crying."

And to think that Claire was supposed to be the younger of the two. Right now she felt as if she were older.

Kitty clinged onto Claire's arms, still sobbing. "He didn't even explain why. He just told me that we should go our separate ways...."

"Maybe he needs time to think over some things. You know how men are, Kitty. He'll come crawling back to you sooner or later. Just you wait." Claire wished she could bash the guy's head in, who ever he was. She had forgotten his name every single time Kitty had told mentioned it. Something with an A? Oh, right. Asshole.

A light knock was heard on the door and instantly Kitty stopped crying. With her small hands, Claire patted her sisters cheeks and wiped away her tears. "Do you want me to answer? You don't have to see anyone if you don't want to."

Kitty bit her lip and wiped her eyes. She pushed back her hair from her face and gave Claire an affirmative look. "It's ok, maybe Rogue needs something in the room." Kitty got up from her bed and made her way to the small shared bathroom. If it was Rogue, she didn't her seeing the tears. She turned on the faucet and began to wash her tear stained, flushed red, face.

Claire sighed as she watched Kitty close the door to the bathroom. She just hated when her sister got this way. The last time she did was when the family dog went missing. They had found him at the end of the day but Kitty thought the poor thing for dead. She nearly cried her eyes out. The person who was knocking, knocked once more.

"Coming!" Claire shouted as she got up from the bed and made her way to the mahogany door. She twisted the knob and pulled it toward her, opening the door. The person knocking? A blond haired, green eyed girl—who looked like she had finished crying herself. "Ummm, if you're looking for Kitty--"

"Oh! You must be Claire!" The blond smiled, trying to cover up her sadness. She sniffled and gave Claire an awkward wave. "I'm Bella, Alyce's cousin? Did she mention me?"

"Bella! Yea, she did. Hi!" Returning the smile Claire gave Bella a one armed hug. Not knowing what else to do, a small silence dropped between the two. Awkwardly, Claire looked down at her socks not wanting to make it obvious that she knew Bella had been crying. Bella, however, noticed this and wiped at her face.

"I was looking for Kitty. I have to ask her something, it's really important. Do you know where she is?"

Claire bit her lip with uncertainty. Should she tell Bella what had happened? She looked like she could keep a secret. Alyce was cool enough. They _were_ related. Claire was pretty sure that Bella was just as cool. She suddenly remembered that Bella was human. Just like her. A wave of relief washed over her, for no apparent reason.

"Kitty is---uh---she's in the bathroom." Claire looked back at the door then back to Bella, placing a finger over her lips. International sign for; '_Keep this quiet.' _She motioned for Bella to come in and she did so, closing the door behind her quietly.

"Kitty just got a phone call from her boyfriend. He broke up with her."

"What?!" Bella semi-yelled in a whispered voice. She knew it. It _was_ a Brotherhood thing. "I need to talk to her then. My boyfriend just broke up with me too. Our boyfriend's work for the Brotherhood, so there has to be something going on."

Claire tried her best to make it look like she understood what Bella was talking about. But in all honesty she didn't. She never heard of the Brotherhood in her life. It just sounded like a run down fraternity. But if Bella knew something about Kitty's boyfriend breaking up with her—then by all means. She gave a thumbs up to Bella and the blond made her way to the bathroom door, lightly knocking.

"Did you tell Alyce about this?" Claire asked. Bella shook her head and continued to knock on the door, finally gauging Kitty to come out and talk. Claire had been the first one to know about Kitty's predicament, so why not Bella to Alyce? As the two girls sat down and talked, both of them crying in each others arms, Claire slipped out of the room. If they could talk about heart break then Alyce and Claire could do some talking as well. Some ass-kick talking.

*

*

Alyce still had shampoo in her hair. You could blame John for that.

Once they had woken up they crawled into Alyce's room, fighting on who would get the shower first. Alyce had beat him to the punch and was the first inside the bathroom. As soon as she got in, John made his appearance. Every five minutes he would walk into the bathroom, at first as if nothing was going on. Then he would try to jump into the shower with her. While the offer was _very_ tempting, Alyce didn't need both of them getting in trouble with one of the adults.

John kept interrupting so much that Alyce had just given up, walking out of the shower entirely.

Now, she sat on her bed in a towel. John had won the shower this time. But next time he wouldn't be so lucky. She grumbled as she got up from her bed and made her way to the vanity. She touched her hair and scowled as her fingers got slicked with shampoo. Using her powers she ran her hand over her hair, getting rid of the left over shampoo. Content with how her hair felt (not sticky with unwashed soap), she proceeded to get dressed.

"Alyce? Ummm....this _is_ your room, right?

Alyce tugged on her shirt and looked at the door with a curious gaze. She heard someone talking outside but who was it? Everyone who knew her, mainly the X-Team, just came barging in whenever they wanted. She didn't really mind. But someone...knocking? Weird. Alyce made her way over to the door, using her towel to dry the water from inside her ear.

"Maybe I have the wrong room. No, you don't Claire. This is it."

Alyce chuckled to herself. Claire was actually outside her room....talking to herself. Classic. Trying not to burst out into laughter Alyce opened the door, catching Claire off guard and the two looking at each other.

"Yes, this is my room." Alyce answered Claire's question. "You win a million dollars."

Claire smirked and held out her hand. "Pay up then."

Alyce rolled her eyes in a mock expression and motioned for Claire to come inside. "You know next time you can just open the door. I don't really mind it."

"Wouldn't that be an invasion of privacy?" Claire asked as she sat down on a nearby computer chair. She spun around to look for Alyce, who had plopped herself down on her bed.

"Not at all. Everyone else does it. Kitty doesn't even _open_ the door. She just phases." Combing her hair, Alyce looked over to the bathroom door. John was singing louder than ever and Claire was trying too hard to not break out into laughter.

"That opera singer in there is John. My significant other. You might want to close your eyes, he likes to come out with a towel on. Don't want to ruin your innocence." Alyce finished combing her hair and watched as Claire spun the chair around, so she wouldn't face the bathroom door. The look on her face was utterly priceless. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide open, as if she had already seen the Pyro with no clothes on. "So to what do I owe this lovely visit?" Asked Alyce.

"Well, this morning Kitty's boyfriend called her. He ended up breaking up with her. So here I am trying to comfort her when Bella comes in. She tells me that Pietro brok--"

"Whoa....what?"

"Pietro broke up with Bella and Ava---_whatever _his name is, broke up with Kitty."

"_Those mother-fuckers."_ Alyce thought to herself. Those two were going to get a nice punch to the face. Maybe a kick to the groin. As far as she knew neither Kitty or Bella cheated on them, so why the break up?

Claire noticed how ticked off Alyce suddenly looked. "Bella told me that it might be a 'Brotherhood thing', but I have no idea what that meant. I figured you might know."

"Yea, of course. The Brotherhood are a group of mutants. They're kinda of like us, the X-Men, only they work under someone else. Magneto......" Alyce got up from her bed and looked around for her jacket. "The Professor can speak to you about it. Let's go."

"Where? Aren't we going to go and give those boys an ass whooping?"

"_I'm_ going to give those boys an ass whooping. Trust me, I'll hit 'em hard enough for both you and me." Alyce made her way to the bathroom door and opened it, peeking in. She mumbled something and closed the door, making her way to Claire. "C'mon, let's go to the Professor's office."

"Can't I just come with you? Just to have my word out on the jerk who dumped my sister?"

Alyce paused. She had to give Claire some credit. The girl had spunk. Alyce was sure she _could_ knock Avalanche a good one but she wasn't going to risk it. First off she didn't need Claire getting hurt. Second, she didn't need Mortimer hitting on the poor thing. His smell alone would probably make her faint. Alyce was just about to say no when John came out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair still dripping wet.

"So you're taking the twelve year old and not me?" John crossed his arms over his chest and gave the younger girl a glare. He hadn't seen her before in his life and suddenly she was there. He'd be darned if she would get to kick some ass and he couldn't.

Alyce looked over to Claire, who scowled. "I am _not_ twelve!" She retorted.

"Really, you sure as hell could've fooled me! Isn't it time for your late afternoon snack?"

"Is it time for yours? You seem a little cranky..."

Alyce, with wide eyes, watched as the two continued to hurl insults at one another. Back and forth, back and forth. Almost like----Bella and John. Except instead of Bella it was the tiny little Claire. At least the two were getting along. Alyce felt a giggle come up her throat as she watched John stomp his feet on the ground. She had to give it him though. When he wanted to annoy someone he could do it. But he was acting so silly that Claire had just ended up in laughter. Claire-1 John-0.

John let out a throaty growl. He made his way back to the bathroom, to get dressed, but not before he made his was defending statement.

"I let you win. It's cause you're twelve. Remember that...."

________________________________________________

A/N: Claire says; "I am** NOT** twelve!" 8D


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**: One Place

Alyce was finally understanding John's point of view. It was sad that it took her this long to fully grasp at the concept of his words but she finally got it.

The Professor was kind of an asshole.

Well, not all the time but just for today he was. No matter how much Alyce tried to persuade him on letting her go to the Brotherhood house he still said no. She agreed but as soon as she had left his office, leaving Claire to talk with him, she already knew her plans. She was going to go to the Brotherhood anyway. She wasn't going to care about the consequences that followed either. Alyce was going to go to give two mutants a punch to the gut. Then a punch to the face....then a kick in the kneecaps---you get the idea.

Alyce made her way to her room with a quick pace. She knew John would be there so she didn't have to worry about him disappearing. What she did have to worry about was the Professor figuring out what she was going to do and sending someone to stop her. That someone being Logan. She really didn't need to get into it with him. Alyce opened the door to her room, eying John on the bed and giving him a hurried look.

"You're coming or not?" She asked as she looked around for her pair of ass kicking boots. She wasn't going to wear sneakers, they just wouldn't suffice.

"What? Where are we going?" John got up from the bed and looked around for his shirt. To think he had just gotten comfy but he didn't mind. With the look of urgency and anger in Alyce's face he knew they were going to do something bad. He had been waiting to see that look for months now.

"I'll explain on the way, just hurry and get dressed so we don't get stopped by Logan." Alyce tugged on her boots and looked out the window. She _could_ just fly out with John. A smile crept on her face as she remembered the first time she set flight. It was with Remy and boy could _he_ scream. Alyce doubted that John would scream, even though she wanted to find out she decided against it.

He finished getting dressed and walked over to Alyce. "So you're gunna phase us down?" He asked, patting his pockets to make sure he had his lighter.

"I hope you don't throw up...like _last_ time." Alyce chuckled and before John could put up a fight she grabbed him by his wrist and the two were going through the floor and into the garage. They ended up near one of the cars, out of chance. As Alyce hopped into the driver's seat, John made his way to the corner. He massaging his stomach and trying to swallow the bitter taste in his mouth.

Alyce looked out the window and rolled her eyes. "C'mon sick boy, let's go." She called over to him as she opened the passenger door. He eventually got inside and Alyce sped off into the night.

Pietro and Avalanche were going to get a big surprise.

*

*

"You believe the Professor won't build me those wrist mounted flame throwers?"

John sighed and stuffed his lighter back in his pocket. How could he effectively use his powers if he was forever using an itty bitty lighter? He glared at the Brotherhood house as it came into view. Right now he just wanted to roast something, it had been too long and using the simulator just wasn't cutting it anymore.

"As much as I'm hating the Professor right now, I think him not giving you those---flame throwers, is a good decision." Alyce slowly stepped on the break, the car coming to a slow halt. Eventually it groaned to a stop and Alyce took the keys out of the ignition.

John, not believing what he just heard, look at Alyce. "You don't think they would look nice?" He asked with an exaggerated tone. "Just look at how pretty they would look on my wrists." He rolled up his jacket and showed off his wrists, making Alyce chuckle.

"Right, John, right. So how are we going to go about this?"

"There was supposed to be a plan?" A bewildered John asked. "Weren't we just supposed to go in there and flame some jerk-offs?"

"I don't think a burnt down house was on _my_ agenda. Maybe on yours but not on mine. I just want to give the two a little piece of my mind."

John gave Alyce and impish smile. "And by that you mean a piece of your fist."

"You can say so."

"Alright, so how about I just sit back and relax. If you need any help you scream for help and I'll come barging in."

"Alright--wait a minute...." Alyce shifted back in her seat as she opened the door. "You seriously don't want to come in?"

John chuckled and pushed his seat back, fully reclining. "If you need someone to do the burning then sure. But I figure you have the two guys handled. I should say I told you so."

"You already did."

"I mean, you know. When he first showed up I told he was no good but yo---"

Alyce held up her hand, signaling John to stop where he was headed. He gave her a prick of a smile and she rolled her eyes. "I'll be back in a few." She said as she got out from the car and closed the door quietly. She was aiming for the surprise method. She planned to phased in through the front door, march up to Pietro's room first and just knock him a good one. Then to Avalanche and do the same. If everything went well and they were knocked out with the first hit, then she could be out of there in five minutes flat.

She walked across the road and onto the dying grass lawn of the Brotherhood house. Before going up the stairs she looked back to the car, waving to John with a small smile on her face. He gave her the thumbs up and lightly punched his fist on the car window. "_Go get 'em...and hurry up so I can burn the house down."_

Alyce smirked. Maybe she would let John have his fun. Coming back to this house, her intentions anything but good, was throwing back bad memories into her head. But she had to remind herself that it wasn't just Pietro and Avalanche that lived her. It was Wanda, Mortimer and Fred's house as well. She couldn't do that to them. As Alyce phased through the front door the first thing he noticed was the lack of any music. Wanda was _always_ playing something, no matter what time of night it was.

Weird.

After looking through the ground level(and finding nothing), Alyce made her way to the stairs. She wasn't even able to get a foot up on the first step when something pushed into her back, sending her falling on the stairs. Quickly, she got scrambled up the steps and stood up. She turned around, as she formed her trusty hand claw, and tried to find the thing that knocked into her.

"I'm ready for a fight..." Alyce mumbled. She decided to take extra precaution and form her hard metallic amour over her body. She knew for a fact that it wasn't anyone from the Brotherhood doing this. Her eyes darted across the foyer of the house, trying to find some sort of hidden person. She snapped her fingers, a small glowing circular light forming in her hand. It was when she threw it that she instantly caught a glimpse of someone moving.

"Gotcha." Alyce smiled and hopped off the steps. The person darted across her, but Alyce was quicker than that. She extended her arm and grabbed onto the person's arm. A quick hit to the nose, from the mysterious shadow, sent Alyce stumbling back. She quickly regained her composure, taking a defensive stance. "Only a coward hides with shadows."

"Only a coward is afraid of them." The female voice was a smug one. A series of punches and kicks came toward Alyce and she managed to dodge all of them except for one. One good kick to her stomach which sent her to her knees. Trying to suck up fresh air, Alyce tapped her hand on the floor. If she couldn't get a good hit, she knew her tentacles could. She cursed herself for not keeping up with her hand to hand skills. She was rusty.

A black tentacle lashed out in the darkness of the foyer. A smile appeared on Alyce's face as a loud thump was heard. Another tap to the floor and another tentacle formed, keeping the mysterious attacker in place. Alyce sucked in another grateful amount of oxygen before wobbling up to her feet. She made her way toward the downed person, looking over with a triumphant smile. Yea, Alyce could get cocky at times. Didn't everyone.

"I haven't been kicked in the stomach in ages. Thanks—" Alyce pushed the hair out of her face, motioning for the woman to say her name, before she grew impatient and decided to punch. Maybe she should punch. It wasn't like this lady introduced herself before hitting, just rude. But then again, Alyce didn't introduce herself either. "A name?" Alyce asked once more.

The woman squirmed underneath her tentacle restraints, giving Alyce the biggest death glare known to man. She bit her lip and growled as she sputtered out the following; "Fuck you."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**: Zerstören!

"So your name is Fuck you? That's a pretty nice name."

Alyce leaned forward, getting a good look at her attacker. The first thing that popped into Alyce's mind was that she looked like Kurt. Minus the tail, German accent and biblical tattoos it was pretty much a female version of Kurt. With red hair. Alyce crouched down near her attacker. "You gave me a good kick, took the breath right out of me."

The woman turned her head to the side. It was as if she didn't want to look at Alyce, to admit that she had let some teen aged girl pin her down to the floor. Alyce managed a small smile. "You're a natural karate kid, I'll tell you that much."

"You wouldn't be saying anything much if I was out of these restraints." The woman hissed, clenching her pearly white teeth together. Guess everything on her wasn't blue.

Alyce shrugged. "You're still trash talking even when you're down. Admirable." Alyce wanted to let this blue woman go. She _needed_ too. Not because she felt that she had to morally, but because she wanted the fight. She hadn't felt the thrill of a proper fight in months and even now as she looked down at the woman she could feel her adrenaline rush. Without saying much of anything Alyce let the hold on the woman slowly loosen, but even before she could dish out a hit the door to the house opened.

The sound of footsteps walking then this; "Alyce, what the _fuck _is taking so long?"

The last few words hadn't even reached her ears when Alyce was greeted with another kick. This time to the chest. She flew back, bringing her hands up just in time to avoid a hard punch to the face. On her back, and in a _very_ uncomfortable position, Alyce lifted up her leg. She slammed her knee as hard as she could into the woman's blue stomach. No matter how many times she did this the woman still continued to slam down her fists on Alyce's arms. Alyce was convinced this woman was made of steel.

"Alyce, suit up." Came John's voice. Not in a position to ask what he was going to do, Alyce obeyed covering her body with a hard metal substance. As the solidifying metal slithered up her face she could feel the heat on her body as John unleashed his furry. She was fully suited just in time, the fire going over her and covering her like a blanket. The woman let out a small screech and the pressure that Alyce felt from her body weight immediately disappeared.

Everything settled down, the sound of the crackling flames was the only thing heard. Alyce stumbled up to her feet, unsuiting herself and opening her eyes to see the damage John had done. Much to her surprise, nothing was so much as burnt. Well, except for the burn marks on the floor but that was the least of Alyce's worries. She looked around, her eyes adjusting to the darkness of the house. The woman had completely vanished, no doubt with a few new burn marks to tell the story of.

"I could've handled her." Alyce muttered, more to herself than to John. A part of her felt defeated. A few months back she was sure, no, she _knew_ she could've wiped the floor with anyone who would've threatened her. Now look at her, getting kicked twice and on her back in seconds flat. She was mad at herself.

"Woo~ You don't know how _awesome_ it was to do that." John gleamed, playing with his lighter. He cracked his knuckles with delight and nodded his head. "We need to come here more often if it involves this."

A small smile cracked on Alyce's face. "The house was entirely empty, besides that woman. You wouldn't happen to have seen her? Maybe know who she is? You know more about this stuff than I do." Alyce wiped the sweat from her brow and sat on the stair case.

"Well I'm glad you think I know so much, but to be honest I have no idea who the blue lady was. But she must've been someone working for Magneto if she's in the Brotherhood house."

Alyce nodded to show she was listening. She was still caught up in the fact that she couldn't even land a successful punch without at least making the woman stagger. She had been bottled up in that Mansion for too long. When Alyce got back to the Mansion, she was going to make sure she had some one on one sparing sessions with Charlie. "I'm going to look in their rooms to see if I get any reasons for them not being here."

"You be careful now...don't need you getting beat up again." John pointed to the kitchen, indicating he was hungry.

Alyce sighed and clasped her hands together, forming a soda bottle in her hands. She threw it over to John who nodded his appreciation and cracked open the cold soda. "If I get myself beaten up you can be my knight in shining armour." She stuck out her tongue. Alyce knew John hated the idea of being a white knight. He flipped up the finger and the two parted to do their own thing.

*

*

Alyce found herself in Pietro's room. It was the only room in the house that she knew like the back of her hand, that she had been in, had _stayed_ in. Nothing changed from the last time she had been here. His bed was still by the window, his dresser packed with tons of stylish closing, the photos on his bed side table. Alyce smiled as she went over and sat on his bed, picking up the photos and looking at them. One was of Alyce and Bella, smiling, as they held up sticks of pink cotton candy. Another of Bella and Pietro kissing. How cute.

Other than screaming normal, the room gave Alyce no answers as to why no one was in the house. Alyce figured out she was on her own. Going back to the Mansion it wasn't like she could ask the Professor about anything, but she was sure he knew what she had done. Bella would still be upset and so would Kitty. Alyce wasn't helping by not getting to punch the heart breaking boys.

"Before you start breaking out into tears, I just want to say something to you..._Alyce_."

Alyce shot her gaze over to the door, getting up from the bed and raising her hands, ready for a fight. The woman walked in with a smile as she closed the door quietly. As Alyce looked her over she noticed not one single burn mark on her blue body. Indestructible? Whatever, Alyce decided to give up trying to decide what her power was. She was just blue.

"How do you know my name?"

"I know a lot of things, but that isn't the point. Coming here today is going to serve you some problems down the road."

"What are you? A fucking waitress?"

The woman let out a small laugh, shaking her head softly from side to side. "I wonder how it will look to the Government if they found out you trespassed on their territory? But you know they _might_ leave you alone. They could go for your parents...."

Confusion most indefinitely. What did she mean by government territory? This was just a ransacked house that five mutants squatted in. "You keep my parents out of this bullshit." Alyce growled her anger, taking a step forward. She was aching to get a good hit at this woman.

"You see I would consider your tempting offer but I.....just don't want too. I guess the Professor didn't tell you what happened. He does have a habit of keeping you all in the dark."

"Ignorance is bliss, isn't it?"

The woman sashayed her way to a desk and leaned against it. "In this case? It really isn't. As of today the Brotherhood is now a registered Freedom Force hired by the government. Trespassing here means automatic registration and imprisonment...."

"Bullshit. The act hasn't even passed. Spare me all the propaganda fuck all."

A hearty chuckle escaped the woman's lips. "To _you_ the act hasn't passed. Let's just say I have an inside look on things."

"_That's it Alyce. No more petty talk. Dad taught you to hit first ask later. You might want to do that...right NOW!"_ Listening to her thoughts, Alyce lunged forward. She cocked back her fist with enough strength that she felt her bones shake. The woman was caught off guard as she stumbled to get her fists up in time, but it was too late. You never feel quiet complete until you punched an annoying woman in the jaw.

Alyce hopped back, watching as the woman pushed against the wall holding her jaw with a groan.

"I have an inside look too, you know." Alyce smiled. She was tempted to send another punch or at least a kick. Alyce shook her hand in the air, the stinging sensation going through her fist in short bursts of pain. Mid shake she remember something. She needed to know this woman's name. She had to, or else how else was she going to remember this day? "If you can still talk, I would like to know your name. It's only fair because you know mines. Equal trade."

The woman spit up a glob of blood and pressed her hand against her mouth with a glare.

"Mystique."


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Hey readers, first off I wanted to say; I AM NOT WORTHY! Seriously, I know I haven't updated don't kill me. For those of you who do read at least. If you need a direction to point your finger, point them to school. Yes, blame _them_. Anywho, I will still be working on this story (why wouldn't I?!) just in between my random fights with essay papers and class. Enjoy this chapter~ Please?

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**Chapter Nineteen**: Automatic Sensations

He was going to say; "I told you so" and Alyce didn't need to hear it. Of course the Professor told her not to go to the Brotherhood house but she went anyway. Maybe next time he might offer up a reason not to instead of just saying no and leaving it at that. It really was all his fault. Alyce knew that as soon as she and John stepped into the Mansion, they would be hearing from the Professor bright and early—or really, just in a couple of hours.

What was on John's mind was getting something to eat. Alyce was having the same ideas—great minds think alike?—but she just couldn't shake off what Mystique had told her. '_They could go for your parents.'_

Alyce knew that if the Government or a bunch of low life rioters appeared on her dad's doorstep....yea, she shouldn't have to worry. So then why was she?

As John made his way over to the kitchen to eat, what he dubbed 'The Last Supper', Alyce made her way over to the phone booths. She sat in the same one she always did and curled her legs up toward her chest. She picked up the phone and quickly dialed the numbers. She knew that calling her dad at this hour he would either be sleeping or staying up to play video games. Alyce hoped it was the ladder. But the phone kept on ringing, ringing and ringing. She couldn't help but think that the government _had_ caught them. She would know wouldn't she? Lilia would contact her...right? A wave of panic rushed over Alyce. She could just phase into the house really quick to see if they were actually sleeping.

"_Alyce, just stop thinking so much. You know your parents are fine._" She tried to tell herself. Alyce was never good at persuading herself, maybe others but never herself. Giving up, Alyce placed the phone back on the receiver and went to go join John for dinner. A very late night dinner.

*

He had told her to stay away from him. She was trying too. But it was just so hard. Bella had been up practically all night, waiting for Alyce to get home—to see if she had talked to Pietro. She even tried calling his phone once or twice but in fear of looking like a psycho ex-girlfriend, she stopped. If Pietro wanted her to leave him alone then he was going to get just that. Bella didn't need him. She had all the love she needed right here, at the Mansion.

With a wet face, Bella sat up in bed. Whether she wanted to admit it to herself or not, she _knew_ this was going to happen someday. When your cousin was an X-Man and so was everyone else that you knew, well it just sort of played itself out. When your Uncle and Aunt had lived at the very same Mansion years ago, you just knew this sort of thing was in your blood line. Being apart of the X-Men even though you were a human. Go figure. Her boyfriend was a member of the Brotherhood for Christ Sakes. She knew this was coming. Pietro was Magneto's _son._ If that didn't have a big warning label on it then Bella didn't know what to think.

Everything was always happening to them. By them, Bella meant everyone at the Mansion. They only had a few months of 'peace' and now look, back into the same routine of worrying, despair and sadness. Bella laid back down in bed, covering herself up all the way to her chin with the blanket. She was going to _try_, try not to think of Pietro. But it was hard, it really was. She could feel the tears already pushing themselves out of her eyes. Sniffling, she dug her face into the pillow and tried to get to sleep. She needed to sleep. Anything to just not think of him.

*

Alyce had a question. 'Would Charlie be up in the training room?' Right now? She had been sitting for the kitchen for about an hour now, asking herself this. It was getting late would Charlie even be up? Alyce just needed to have a good sparing session, something to get her back up on her feet. Then she could go back to her room and check on Bella. But the more she sat here, eating the crackers with peanut butter that John had made for dinner, she found herself getting more and more lazy.

"That's the problem." Alyce muttered as she spread another glob of peanut butter on a cracker. She stuffed it into her mouth and chased back some milk from her cup. This was going to catch up to her later on—the milk drinking, not the eating of peanut butter.

"What are you muttering about?" John asked as he made a mini cracker sandwich and bit into it. "You better not be saying something about these crackers and the peanut butter."

Alyce shook her head with a smile. "Nothing about them. The perfect combination of late night foods." She shoveled another glob of peanut butter into her mouth, forgetting about using crackers all together. "I was talking about why I couldn't beat up that blue bitch."

"Whoa there, language."

"You should be the one to talk." Alyce raised an eyebrow at John, who in return raised an eyebrow. Silence for a few minutes, followed by a few funny faces then; "Laziness, John. We've gotten used to our little vacation here for the past few months and now that trouble is starting back up again we've gotten lazy."

"Maybe _you've_ gotten lazy..." John took a sip of his milk. "...but I can still flame shit up pretty good. Even if the Professor won't let me get those wrist mounted flame throwers."

"I just need to get back into the training room." Before John could say something smart, which she knew he would, she pointed the butter knife at him. "Don't you dare say anything. I'm just thinking out loud and you so happen to be here to listen."

"Why does everything involve the kitchen with us?" John asked, taking Alyce by surprise. And here she thought he was going to say some stupid remark about her loosing her skill.

"No idea. It just happens. This _was_ the first place we really talked you know."

"Lookit the memory on you." John rolled his eyes. He didn't even remember the date of when they first got together, let alone the month. He did remember it being cold, though. Sighing and stuffing another cracker into his mouth, John knew that Alyce was just as lost and clueless as he was. It made him feel better.

"Can I ask you something?" She suddenly asked, taking John off guard as he crunched on his confectionery cracker. He answered with a nod of his head and waited. "What's going to happen if that act passes? I'm not talking about everyone, I'm talking about me and you?"

"What makes you ask?"

"I'm just thinking about what happened to Bella and Pietro. They have two different things going on. Sort of like me and you..."

"_No, _not like me and you." John interrupted. "Do I have the name Magneto stamped on my forehead? Am I daddy's little boy? Sure when it comes to certain things we have a different mind set, but are you implying something else?"

"_Am I implying something else?"_ Alyce thought, upon hearing John's last words. She felt a knot in her stomach tie it self together and tug on her. She was regretting, right now, about drinking that milk.

"I'm not implying anything." Alyce knew that was a lie as soon as she spoke it. She was worried about things. Wasn't she allowed to worry? When it came to John, she wasn't allowed too. When it came to everyone they didn't expect Alyce to worry. They all thought of her as some strong tough as nails girl. She begged to differ at times. Alyce looked up to John and smiled, he gave her the finger and continued to eat his dinner. She knew John wanted out of the Mansion. The first time she met him she knew it, in the back of her mind, that he wanted out. Alyce wasn't a future teller nor could she read minds but she knew that as soon as John had the opportunity to leave, he would. She might as well cherish the rest of the moments that both of them had at the Mansion....

Hell, this isn't some fantasy story.

There's never a happy ending.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: First off; I am super sorry I took this long to update. My computer contracted a super bad virus and it needs to get repaired. That, of course, costs money. Money I do not have at the moment lol. But I'm here, with a slow laptop (better than nothing) and back to updating! Woo hoo~ This chapter is a kick-about, until I get my ideas all back up and running. I'd give it another chapter and a half before the action picks right back up. Enjoy!

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**Chapter Twenty**: Rationalist Paradox

The more Bella stared at her food the more Alyce was wanting to force feed her. Of course she could understand how Bella was feeling, it called for anything but eating. Even still, she needed to eat. Sighing, Alyce leaned over in her bed and tapped the plate that was on Bella's lap. The honey blonde girl picked up the fork and very slowly poked at the eggs that were on the plate.

"Bella, I know it has to suck, how you're feeling, but you need to eat. Just a little? Please?" Alyce was trying her best to sound as pleading as she could, but in all honesty she was angry. She hadn't gotten the chance to knock Pietro and Avalanche a good one and that was bothering her. When she had gone to the kitchen to get Bella her breakfast, she spotted Kitty and Claire. They both looked equally distressed. Alyce was sure she looked just as sad as Bella.

"I'm not really hungry." Bella mumbled, taking the plate off her lap and leaning back on her pillow. "Can we go out for lunch?"

Alyce noticed the small gleam of happiness in Bella's eyes and nodded her head with a smile. "Sure we can. We can even invite Kitty and Claire. How about it?"

Bella answered with a nod, then after giving a small smile, laid back down and covered her face with the covers.

"You better not be crying." Alyce touched the plate that was on the bed and it disappeared into the bed. She _could_ understand what Bella was feeling, but the way her mind worked was much different. She placed her hand on Bella's covered arm and rubbed it gently. "I'll knock both of them out when I get the chance."

"It's not about you knocking them out, Alyce. It just....it just _hurts. _If John ever breaks up with you, you'll get it."

With a low growl, Alyce got up from the bed. Bella was speaking without thinking, that's how people worked when they got hurt by someone they loved. They lashed out at everyone around them. Even though what she just said was anything but lashing out, to Alyce it meant a lot. She didn't want to think about breaking up with John, but she was sure that if they did—they would work it out with a good ol' fight.

"I'll come back later on in the day to get you. Make sure you're dressed by noon." Alyce stopped before she opened the room door, looking back at Bella. She hadn't answered but Alyce knew she had heard her. She stood motionless under the covers and Alyce took it as her queue to leave. And that's exactly what she did.

*

*

Why hadn't the Professor called her in yet? Why hadn't the Professor called _him_ in yet?

It wasn't like John to be antsy, not in the least bit. He wouldn't even call himself paranoid but he knew that was a contradiction. Especially when he had taken up residence outside of the Professor's office. It started off as a routine morning. John getting up early, eating breakfast, then making his way to the Professor, to once again, ask about those wrist mounted flame throwers. But it was when he was almost ready to knock, his fist mid air, that he stopped.

John knew the Professor had to know about Alyce and him going to the Brotherhood house. The more he thought about it, the more he asked the question; "Why hadn't the Professor called them in?"

It was when John was thinking just that, his back leaning on the opposite wall, that he was disrupted from his thoughts.

"Hey, John. How are you? It's me, Julian, if you don't remember." The sentence was followed by a small chuckle and then a silence when John didn't answer. He didn't even look up, as he stared at his sneakers—still trying to answer his own question.

"Umm, ok then." Julian spoke again, pushing his hands in his pants pocket. Since arriving, he had head so much about the X-Men team. He even wanted to join, and what better way to do that then befriending them? He had to do _something_, he hadn't seen much of Claire since they had come. It didn't bother him, but he was just bored. "Are you ok, man?" Julian asked once more, looking at John with a raised eyebrow.

"The morning cartoons are on...go learn the letter of the day." John spoke, still not looking up. He took his lighter out of his pocket, showing his annoyance by clicking it open and closed. Maybe the kid would get the hint and back off.

"The letter of the day is A for Assho--" Julian began, ready to voice his annoyance. He was just trying to be nice.

"The letter of the day is A for Annoying." John interrupted, feeling good about himself. He looked up over to Julian, with a smirk on his face as the two began a small stare off.

"Look, I just wanted to check if you were ok. And Alyce, as well."

"Yea, I know. But like I said, morning cartoons."

"I'm not a kid you know, I'm---"

John held up his hand, snapping his fingers for Julian to shut his mouth. "As far as I'm concerned you and your little girlfriend are twelve years old. No more, no less. Oh, and it's not you, it's all me." Another smug smirk from John and he crossed his arms over his chest. He watched as Julian rolled his eyes and started to walk away. It was nice to know that John still had it in him. He was enjoying his little victory when the sight of a certain southern belle caught his eye.

"'Ya never change, do 'ya?" Rogue asked as she made her way over to John.

"Never do. What do you want?"

"Nothin' really. 'Ya just so happen 'ta be around." She shrugged. Rogue hoped John wouldn't take his as her flirting. He always found some way to twist what had happened but ever since she had gotten with Remy, John had stopped being a prick. Rogue also liked to think that Alyce had fixed him up a tidbit, even if she didn't notice. When John didn't answer she continued to walk to where she was originally going.

"If you see Alyce around, tell her to start worrying."

Rogue stopped in her tracks, turning around.. "'Ahm tempted to ask what's happenin'. But 'Ahm sure Alyce will tell me."

"I'm sure she will. Just let her know."

Rogue considered saying no, only because it _was _John. The two had never really learned to become friends, they bickered more than anything. To be honest, Rogue couldn't stand being around him much. It's exactly why she marveled at Alyce. How could anyone deal with him? Rogue found herself giving in though, and she shot John an O.K symbol with her fingers.

Sometimes, Rogue thought she was too nice for her own good.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**: Shades

Rogue had found Alyce outside of the Danger Room. How she even knew to look down here, Rogue wasn't sure. It was just a hunch. Alyce always went to the Danger Room when things got a little tough. Everyone had a way of dealing with things. For Rogue, it was writing poetry—something she learned from Remy—and for Alyce it was training.

"If 'ya tie your sneakers any tighter, 'ya might cut of 'ya foot." Rogue took her spot on the floor, next to Alyce.

"Gotta support the ankles." Alyce chuckled as she finished up tying her laces. It was a lie to say the least. She had gotten lost in her thoughts to even realize how tight she was tying her laces. She loosened them up a bit. "Are you going to train?"

Rogue thought about it for a few. It had been a while since she last has a proper training room session—one where she really let go. Then, Rogue realized that if Alyce was training it would most definitely be with Charlie. Rogue didn't feel like pulling any more muscles. "'Ah would, but not today. 'Ahm supposed to be meeting up with Remy."

"OoOo, look at you two love birds. I'm happy knowing you two are good together."

Rogue let off a nervous laughter, feeling her checks blush red. "The best thing that has happened 'ta me. How are 'ya and John?"

Alyce smiled. "What can I say? It's me and John. To be honest, I haven't really been thinking about our relationship. I'm still thinking about what I'm going to do about Pietro and Avalanche. Have you heard from Kitty or Claire?"

"'Ah ran into Claire when 'Ah was in the kitchen. She was getting food for Kitty, the poor girl doesn't want to eat."

"Yea, that sounds exactly like Bella and I. I don't know, I guess it just has to run it's course." Alyce ran her hand through her hair, still trying to understand what she _could_ do. If hitting the boys wouldn't do any thing good, then what will? It wasn't like she could force the boys to be with them again.

"'Ah ran into John on the way here."

"Did he give you any trouble?"

"Not at all." Rogue laughed. "He just told me to tell you something. And 'Ah quote; 'If you see Alyce around, tell her to start worrying.'"

Alyce let out a hearty laugh. She knew exactly what he was talking about and it made her a bit nervous. She was already worrying about Bella. Having to worry about the Professor and his course of action on what they did, was something entirely different. Now, Alyce found herself counting down the minutes, hours, days, before the Professor called her in.

"Should 'Ah be worried?" Rogue asked, seeing Alyce caught up in her own thoughts.

"It's nothing major. John and I went to the Brotherhood house to pay Pietro and Avalanche a visit."

"Stop..." Rogue held up her gloved hand. "'Ya don't need to say anything else." She felt stupid for not thinking that before. Knowing Alyce should've told Rogue the answer, she was quick to get to the bottom of things.

The two girls shared a laugh, Alyce helping Rogue get up from the floor. "I already hear Charlie in the training room, that's my queue to leave."

"'Mah queue as well." Rogue waved, giving Alyce a one handed hug. "'Ah'll see you later."

"Definitely."

*

*

Getting punched in the stomach never felt better. Sending out a skull splitting kick (and missing) never felt so full-filling. If training was like this to her now, Alyce was itching to find out how it would be to actually get out on the field again.

"_Mida me_..." Charlie stop mid punch and sighed, standing up straight. She watched as Alyce coughed up spit and struggled to stand from the punch to the stomach. "It's not fun punchin' around dead weight. I'm sure as hell not havin' any fun....'ya get 'ya head straight."

Alyce coughed and stood up straight, ignoring the ache in her stomach. Not even a full hour and Alyce was already getting tired. She had really let herself go and it was disappointing to say the least. She blamed herself, as well as the Professor—for keeping the entire team under the protective wing of the school. The last time they had all been in the Danger Room, and actually did a simulation, felt like forever.

"Alright, I'm ready." Alyce wheezed, taking a defense stance and waiting for Charlie to comply.

"Nuh-uh. Hand 'ta hand combat isn't goin' anywhere, _chica_. We need 'ta go back 'ta basics."

Alyce felt a pang of sadness wash over her. Back to Basics. Something she had heard all too much when she first started training in the Danger Room. To be thrusted back into her past was anything but lovely. "Should I start by running laps?" Alyce asked, sarcasm in her voice.

"Actually...." Charlie smirked. She turned around and made her way over to the bag she kept in the corner. She kicked it up into her arms and began rummaging through it, the sounds of metal clanking against each other. "Back 'ta Basics with me is anything but basic, _chica_." When her hand touched the cool metal of her favourite gun she knew she was going to have some fun.

Alyce was already guessing. Charlie loved her guns and Alyce knew it had something to do with them. What she wasn't expecting was getting shot at without warning. Alyce never dodged something so quick in her life. The feeling of a bullet going past your face was enough to make you do just that.

"I like 'ta think that me and 'ya are on the same page. So, I'm usin' live rounds, a_si tambien?_"

Alyce tapped her chest, just to make sure her heart was still beating. When the sheer bit of fear washed out of her, was when she began to smile. "All good." Alyce answered. If this wouldn't get her back up on her feet, then nothing else would.

*

*

"So what are you going to do?" Even though Jean was a mind reader it didn't help. Not in this situation, not when it was the Professor she was talking to. As she waited for him to answer she scratched her head and tried herself to come up with an appropriate punishment. It was, after all, Alyce getting in more trouble than John. That alone was something she thought would've never happen.

The Professor took in a breath, not really sure what to say. What could he do? Tell Alyce it was wrong to try to make her sister feel better? Even if he did do something, Charles knew that Alyce would know he was keeping something from her—from everyone. The Brotherhood were officially their enemy, in the sense that they now worked for the government. The government meant the Registration Act. How many days were left until it was shown on T.V, the passing of the act.

"I think it's time we tell the team what they're going to be up against, what we're _all_ up against." The Professor knew that doing that would be a risk. Knowing the team, their reaction wouldn't be anything good. The Professor knew that when the act was passed everyone in the Mansion would be knocking on his door, begging to know what they were going to do.

Jean let out a sigh, she was already feeling worried. Sooner or later it would all come crashing, at least she knew that much. Right now, to her, the future felt so uncertain. "We would have to anyway. I just find it a miracle that Alyce or John weren't arrested by the C.I.A or something. We're going to have to keep close tabs on them..."

"More on Alyce. John has been keeping himself grounded."

"He wants those wrist mounted flame throwers, doesn't he?"

The Professor let out a laugh, the first real one in days. "Of course he does."

The good mood that was in the room was soon quickly demolished, their minds focusing back on the matter at hand. If there was a way to turn back time and prolong the enevitable, then the Professor would do it. Unfourtunately, life was all about the unexpected. The unexpected and the down right depressive things that could happen. The pressure, the sadness, the feeling that you couldn't do anything to help. The Professor shook his head slightly, trying his best to get rid of the negative thoughts in his head. He had to remember that he was here for them; the kids. He was the backbone of the Mansion and he wasn't planning on breaking down any time soon.

"Assemble the team."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**: Paper Doll Guidelines

Bella was clinging to Alyce like a baby monkey to it's mother. Alyce didn't mind, not at all, what she did mind was that not once had Bella cracked a smile or broke out into a small laugh. Everyone had tried to get her to brighten up, but it was no use. Alyce leaned against the wall of the basement, Bella in her arms. She looked over to her left, there was Claire—arms linked with Kitty, who was just as equally down as Bella.

"Looks like you're the older one for a few days." Alyce whispered over to Claire. The doe-eyed girl nodded, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Still up for lunch?" Alyce asked after a few minutes of silence.

"It looks like it'll have to be a late lunch." Claire sighed and looked at her watch. "Do you guys usually have to wait so long for the Professor?"

Before Alyce could respond, John answered with a sarcastic gruff of a growl. He had long since gotten tired of standing and had taken up residence on the floor, legs sprawled out and head relaxed on the metallic wall. Odd enough he was soon joined by Piotr, who looked like he hadn't slept in ages. In fact, the entire group looked like they hadn't slept. Jubilee had leaned up against Bobby, her eyes dropping in and out of sleep. Rogue, too, had sat on the floor—Remy resting his head in her lap. The only person who looked wide awake was Julian. Half of the team, Remy, Rogue, and Piotr, didn't take much of a liking toward Julian. John didn't like him, just because he didn't like him. Alyce was sure he didn't like _anyone_ new.

"Well!" Came a sudden voice, that startled those who were asleep awake. "Sorry to keep you all waiting." The voice belonged to that of Hank McCoy, as he stepped out of one of the doors and motioned for everyone to step inside. What Alyce wasn't understanding was why he was so happy. This whole waiting game only made her think something bad was going to happen. Something probably _was_ going to happen, knowing her luck and that of the team.

"Bella, come on." Alyce cooed, rubbing Bella's arms and trying to stir the girl awake. Reluctantly, she pulled away, following everyone else into the Conference Room. But before she walked through the metallic doors, a hand stopped her and spun her around. "Bella, can you _please_ stop?"

Bella looked at Alyce with a confused gaze. "What are you talking about?" She glanced back, the metallic doors closing—her and Alyce alone in the quiet metallic hallway.

"I understand how it must feel to have someone break up with you, but you can't be constantly moping and sluggish. We're going in there right now and I know, I know for a fact, that what the Professor is going to say is going to be anything but good." Alyce took in a deep breath. "You came here, and when you did I told myself I was going to protect you. I've obviously failed--"

"Alyce..." Bella started to interrupt, but Alyce held up her hand.

"I don't want you going in there with what's already on your shoulders. So, I know this might sound like I'm being a mom but I want you go upstairs and wait for me. It wouldn't sit right on my mind knowing I'm adding more to your plate by having you go inside."

"And what about Kitty and Claire? You don't see them doing what we're doing right now. If Kitty can handle it then so can I. Why am I any different? Because I'm a human? Is _that _why?" Bella didn't want to raise her voice, she didn't want this turning into any sort of argument. She understood where Alyce was coming from but right now, she was getting ready to explode.

Alyce, sensing the rising anger, tried her best to calm herself down. "We're not Kitty and Claire." She spoke, in a hushed tone. "This is me and you. You came to stay knowing that you'd be under my care. I'm just trying to do things right this time." A flashback of past events entered Alyce's mind, causing her heart to tug in her chest. She knew that right now, if she wanted to get Bella upstairs she would have to be firm—something she wasn't used to being. "Bella, it's either you go upstairs on your own or I'll make you."

The two locked eyes for a mere second but it felt like forever. Bella bit her bottom lip, her eyes watering and her hands clenching into fists. Alyce stood, her eyes stern and her face cold and un responding. Not everything between them could be happy and go lucky. Things had to get rough between them sometime.

"Fine." Bella finally answered, not waiting for Alyce to respond. She turned on her heel and made her way toward the elevators. Alyce waited until Bella had completely disappeared before making her way into the conference room.

"It's going to be one of_ those_ days..."

*

*

So the Professor had said what he needed to say. If the Brotherhood weren't their rivals to begin with, then now was when it would truly show. Seeing the blood drained look on both Alyce's and John's face had the Professor reassure everyone that things were going to be fine. But the sheer thought of being shipped off into a government run facility was enough to set the two on the edge of their seat.

Upon first hearing the news Kitty had broke out into tears, clinging onto Claire as if her life had depended on it. How else were you supposed to react when you found out your boyfriend would arrest you if you ever saw him again? Kitty's emotional reaction was justified. Everyone else either felt betrayed, angered, confused, helpless....

"Now, there's nothing to be extremely worried about." Jean tried her best to sound convincing, but she knew she had failed.

"Nothing to worry about? If they were hired by the government then the act has already passed." Bobby was the first to voice his disagreement.

"That _and_ the fact that they know where the Mansion is and that we're all mutants. If they wanted to they could all rat us out." This time, it was Jubilee—following her boyfriend's lead at voicing her digression.

Alyce wasn't in a happy place at the moment. She couldn't help but feel that the doom of the X-Men, the entire Mansion, would be her fault. She was the one who joined the Brotherhood, who stood with them. They all came for _her_ birthday party. If there was any ounce of hope in her left, it would be that the Brotherhood would leave them alone.

Remy had long since deemed this something he already knew was coming and had fallen asleep. Rogue wished she could have his light hearted manner. She was sure everyone did. Nothing ever seemed to phase Remy as much as it did with everyone else. For that, she envied him, but was also glad that she was with him and not Bobby. Bobby was already panicking, even though he wasn't physically showing it—Rogue knew better.

"Looks like we're going to have to cancel lunch..." Claire mumbled over to Alyce, causing both girls to smile.

"Cancel that along with going outside of the Mansion."

"Oh, you've _got_ to be kidding me." John rolled his eyes and slumped in his chair as soon as the Professor finished his sentence. "This place is boring enough."

Completely ignoring John's annoyance, the Professor kept on. "We can't risk anything, any_one_--" He looked over to John and to Alyce in specific. "--getting caught up into what's going to happen. The more we keep things under wraps with the Mansion, with the kids here, the safer we will be."

"You're making us sitting ducks." Alyce tapped her fingers on the conference room table. "It sounds like you want us to just stay here and let _them_ come to us. Why not go out there? And stop them."

"_Mon Ami, _you're talking about stopping a government funded team." Remy mumbled as he stretched in his seat. He gave Alyce a bland stare. "There is just no way."

"So we're just going to sit here knowing that they're taking in other innocent mutants and do nothing? We've all fought them at some point, we know how they work. It's worth a shot isn't it?" Alyce suddenly thought that she should become a lawyer...or not. No one said anything after she did and it crossed her mind to walk into the city her own damned self and do what had to be done.

"No, you're _not_ going to be doing that..." Jean crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Alyce with a firm emerald gaze. She tapped her forehead, a small smile on her face. Jean sighed and looked over to the Professor, another surge of thoughts rushing into her head and causing her face to turn grim.

"We should turn on the T.V."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**: One Edged Sword

"Effective at 12 o' clock midnight, the Mutant Registration Act will be passed. There will be multiple registration areas for known Mutants to go and sign up. Those who refuse will be arrested and taken into custody until further notice. There will be _no_ pardons for this. All Mutants **must** register. Also, people will recognize the presence of a task force in the main cities. While yes, they are mutants, they work for the government. Failing to heed to their word will also result in custody."

Valerie Cooper finished her small speech, tugging on her blazer and blinking as the flashes of a million cameras went off. The people in the crowd, immediately rose from their seats as soon as she finished saying the last words. Some where angry, others were clapping with joy. Being a national security advisor, Valerie Cooper was happy. She knew that what she was doing, what Senator Kelly and the rest of the people who voted for this were right. They were doing the right thing.

"I will now introduce the Freedom Force." Valerie spoke, with a smile on her face. She motioned on the right of her and soon a group walked out on the podium, their black and white costumes looking intimidating. Down to their belt buckles, they look intimidating, their faces stern, their bodies well built ready to do what they had to.

"Recognize these faces, if you see them in the street you know who they are and who they work for."

*

*

"Yea, I'll recognize those goddamn faces...." John spat, slamming his fist on the table for emphasis.

The news that everyone had just heard caused everyone to go white faced. It was like being in a room of ghosts. Even Logan, who had walked in half way, knew what was happening. The look on his face read; lost, unsure, angry, and probably every other emotion in the book. As the news kept on playing, Logan looked at the faces of the X-Team. He was surprised to say the least. They held their heads up high, anything but fear on their faces. More of a look on determination.

"Does that mean they're going to come after the school?" Claire asked, just as worried, even though she had nothing to worry about in the least bit. Everyone stood silent, not wanting to answer the most obvious question in the book. It was known that Senator Kelly knew of the Mansion. The Brotherhood, now the 'Freedom Force', knew of the Mansion. It was only a matter of time.

"I'll call my father. He can come and we can build a barrier around the school." Alyce offered and everyone nodded in agreement. The only one shaking their head was the Professor.

"We don't have anything to hide--"

"Our safety, _mon ami_!" Remy spoke, almost semi-yelled. He gently grabbed onto Rogue's hand, squeezing it. "Remy thinks that is a perfect idea. Remy isn't registering and he is sure that no one in this room, in this _school_ is going to register either."

Rogue squeezed Remy's hand in the same loving manner. "And if we don't register then we're all going to jail."

"Maybe _you_ and your lover boy is going to jail. But I'm sure as hell not." John retorted, sitting back in his chair with an angry look on his face.

"What we need to do is think with clear heads." Piotr, always the voice of reason in the group. Bobby, who was about to say something, closed his mouth, taking Piotr's words to heart. He looked over to Jubilee, her eyes beginning to water.

"Sorry to be the voice of evil here, but who's to say that those pricks aren't coming here right now?" Bobby spoke out. Someone had to throw out all the possibilities, the sooner the better. The Professor nodded over to Logan and to Jean and the two left the room with such speed. Most likely to check on the doors and warn the other teachers—they probably already knew what was happening. Them and the rest of the students.

Alyce didn't have much to say on the matter. She sat in her chair still thinking that everything was her fault. Other than her being at fault she was also deciding on whether to call her father. Of course Lilia already knew what was going on and would tell James, but would they make haste to get out of the town they lived? Even though they were old enough to make their own decisions, Alyce knew they would stay put and fight anything that came to their door. True as well they would take care of themselves, but, Alyce still worried.

"_This isn't your fault..."_ A voice rang into Alyce's head, belonging to the Professor. "_People have known about Mutants for a while now..."_

"But they wouldn't know about the school." Alyce spoke, her voice low but still everyone heard. She shook her head and sighed, getting up from her seat. Alyce was already planning the rest of her day. Calling her Uncle and her Aunt, Bella's parents, so she could arrange for the girl to go back home. Bella didn't need to be in a place that would soon be swarming with police and the Brotherhood. The second on her list would be calling home. She suddenly wished she wasn't nineteen. Being a little kid, a toddler, would've been so much better right now. Ignorance _was_ bliss. She had heard the phrase used so many times that it was now she fully understood it.

"Where are you going?" John's annoyed voice was heard above the T.V, but oddly enough it was only Alyce who heard it. She turned on her heel, halfway to the door, and looked at John with a stern look. "Don't tell me you're going to walk away and pretend nothing is happening?" John spoke.

Alyce crossed her arms. "I'm going to walk away and take care of the things I need too."

"I think the things that need attending are the things that are happening right here, right now. You're not scared that you can picked up and hauled off into a shitty government run facility?"

Alyce pinched the bridge of her nose, watching as John got up from his seat and made his way over to her. "Sitting here, worrying my ass off isn't going to do _anything_." Alyce answered John back.

"And going into your room is?"

Alyce held back her slapping hand. Her palm was itching to slap across John's face at that very moment, but she decided against it. One, John had no idea what he was talking about. How could he? He didn't have someone at the Mansion that was under his care. He wouldn't understand it, even if Alyce explained that best that she could. John was John. Hardheaded and stubborn all at the same time.

"We're not kids anymore, John. But if you want to sit here that's fine. I have Bella to look after, right now, she's high on the 'most important' list." Without waiting for John to answer, but saw the angry look on his face, Alyce made her way to the conference room door and left. Alyce knew she would have to deal with John later, probably end up in an argument, it would better when she didn't have so much to think about.

Not even a few feet away was when Alyce heard a loud bang on the door. Of course it was John, right now, his fist still on the door aching with pain from when he punched it.

What was with boys smashing their fists into things, anyway?


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**: One Inch Cubes

Claire didn't really know what to do. Kitty was getting worse and worse every single day. Not matter what Claire tried to do, Kitty wouldn't come out of her depression shell. If Kitty was feeling this way then Bella had to be the same way, maybe worse? As Claire dropped off Kitty at her room, she made her way down the hall and over to Alyce's room, wondering if there was any sort of advice she could get.

It was when Claire got in front of Alyce's door that she remembered she had other things to tend to, other than Kitty. Julian. She hadn't properly sat down with her boyfriend in a while but Claire knew her boyfriend wasn't stupid. He knew that Kitty needed her more than anything at this point, and he wouldn't think twice of pulling Claire away from her sister.

"Thinking hard?" Alyce asked softly, not wanting to startle Claire from her deep thoughts. Even still, Claire jumped a little but still managed a small smile.

"Doesn't everyone?" Claire defended herself. "I hope I'm not bothering you, I just wanted to ask you something."

"Never a bother." Alyce walked over to the opposite wall and placed her hand on it, two small chairs appearing from the hall and settling down on the floor. "My office is now open." She motioned to the chairs.

Claire let out a muffled laughter as she sat down on the chair, crossing her legs. "I can get used to things popping out of no where."

"I think anyone can, so what's up?"

Claire shuffled a bit in her seat, not sure how to phrase what she needed to say. She pushed her hair out of her eyes and let out a sigh of air. "Kitty's getting worse and worse. I just don't know how to make her feel better. I know Bella is in the same boat as Kitty so that kind of makes us in the same boat as well."

"Well, there's one major difference. Kitty is a mutant and Bella is not. So, I'm guessing Kitty's worrying has a lot more to do than just her boyfriend breaking up with her. He's working for the government and can take her in. Now, Bella's boyfriend is also in the same house but he can't touch Bella. She's a human." Alyce watched as Claire slapped her hand on her head and shook her head.

"You know that never once crossed my mind. I was just thinking about her feelings--"

"Hey, I'm not saying you shouldn't--"

"I know.." Claire gives Alyce a small chuckle. "...I just never really think of Kitty as a mutant, just my sister."

Alyce smiled, letting out a small yawn and wiping at her eyes. She didn't think she could be so sleepy in the middle of the afternoon, but she hasn't been exactly worrying about sleeping for the past few days. "You know as cliché as this sounds, all Kitty needs is some time to accept what's happening. Just let it run it's course. As for Bella, I'm sending her straight home."

"What? Why? Don't you think she's safer here with you?" Claire was understanding everything Alyce was telling her, but as soon as she mentioned Bella going back home was when everything went blank. She hadn't even had a chance to really get to know Bella and now she was going home?

"I always thought Bella was safer here with me, but now the way things are going I think she's better off going back home with her mom and dad. They aren't mutants, so she won't have to worry about the things she would worry about here."

"Alyce, I don't mean to sound disrespectful but, that sounds stupid."

Alyce immediately broke out into laughter. "Gotta love that honesty, Claire. Thanks."

Claire shared in on the laugh, uncomfortably, she didn't know if it was a good thing, that she was being honest, or a bad thing. "If I was in your position I wouldn't send her back home. She needs you a lot more than you think, right now. Sending her back home, I think she'll be more sad."

Alyce took a minute to let the words sink in. Oddly enough, Claire was right. Who would've ever thought you could learn things from someone younger than you. Alyce was thankful, her mind was too clouded to think straight. Once she got the idea of sending Bella back home she was convinced it would work. Now that Claire had knocked some sense into her, Alyce knew that Bella would probably end up worse back at home. "You're right, Claire."

"I'm glad you think so. It sucks that me and you can't give the boys a good one up, huh."

"It totally does, Claire."

*

*

John was figuring out that he was a one trick pony. Whenever something happened he always wanted to go and set something on fire. The _last_ time he had acted on his emotions, rather than his head, he ended up leveling off an entire city block—along with Pietro. But it _was _him who set an entire cafe shop on fire.

He didn't _really_ care. If he could, he would do it all over again. And right now he wanted to burn the Brotherhood house to the ground. Now, John knew he wasn't the slickest cat in the Mansion but he was sure there was a way for him to sneak out and make his way back over to the house. But would he really risk getting arrested just to prove a point? Heck, John didn't even know what point he was trying to make.

He had long since left the conference room, and since he couldn't sit outside—took up residence in the library. He hated it here, it was too quiet but in way he _needed_ the quietness. It was acutally helping him think. What he couldn't believe was how the Professor was just going to sit back and relax, not going to do _anything_ on what was happening. To John it seemed that the Professor wasn't going to do anything, he probably had some ridiculous plan set up though. A plan involving 'talking' to Senetor Kelly. Like that was going to do anything. The Professor wasn't going to do anything—but John knew someone who would.....

Well, John didn't _know_ the guy personally, only heard about him from the Professor. John was liking the idea that he wouldn't have to go out of his way to find the guy, _he_ would come to him.

Magneto.

"Hey, John...."

"Shit!" John jumped where he sat, nearly knocking over a bookcase. "Do you_ have_ to pop up like that?" He shot a death glare over to Alyce, wishing he had some sort of way to know when Alyce was coming.

"It's a trademark of mine, sorry." She spoke softly, shrugging.

John regained him composure, fixing his hair and acting like everything was all suave. For a second he contemplated on telling Alyce his idea but he quickly dismissed it. They_ used_ to think in all the same ways, but now, to John, it seemed liked they didn't. He knew that if even mentioned the thought of Magneto, Alyce would immediately try to knock some sense into him. But John knew he was always the bad guy....then again, Alyce had knew that too.

"What do you want?" John asked, his voice coming out a lot more colder than he had originally intended. He saw how it caught Alyce off guard and he felt a bit bad.

"I just wanted to say...you know, to apologize for what happened downstairs." Alyce was never good at doing the whole 'I'm sorry' thing. Right now, she was felt like she was in the spot light—John's anger spot light. She, herself, was starting to get angry. "Just accept it so things can get back to they were."

"Even with Bella on your 'top list'?"

"That's not fair, John." Alyce growled. "That's low as fuck and you know it."

Alyce had a point. John would've never thought that he would call out Bella, as much as the two fought he still cared for her...in his own raw way. John knew he was going to stick to his plan—to joining Magneto, when the time came for him to. He looked into Alyce's blue eyes, struggling to see any other alternative. If he _could_ tell Alyce his plan. If she would _come with him_...she had left before, why not again?

"I figured you wouldn't have anything to say. You're always acting on impulse John, always."

"And you don't?"

The two stood silent, just looking at each other with their anger. And to think that Alyce was _almost_ having a good day. Now, this. You always hurt the one you love. It worked both ways; You love the one you hurt, as well. Here they were; Alyce and John. Both of them thinking two entirely different things.

"Here's what I'm thinking, Alyce." John spoke. "You do your thing and I'll do mine, because I know for a fact, that right now, we're _not_ on the same page."

"I think we'd be on the same page if you'd just tell me why you're so upset." Alyce knew John was thinking of something else, he just had to be. As to why he didn't want to share, Alyce had no idea why. Again, Alyce was helpless in the situation. She quickly shook her head before John could answer her.

"You know what? Fine. I could never convince you otherwise before, so yea, I"m stupid to think that I can do it now." Alyce remembered that her father taught her better. She had let her tough as nails, cold exterior melt away and now she was paying for it. Had she just stood the same she wouldn't have to be worry about being in this situation. She gave him one last final glare before turning on her heel and heading out of the library.

"You win, John! You win!"


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: Ok, first off; Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I've been busy for the past two weeks. Forgive me! Anywho, this chapter is short. The shortest of this entire series I think, lol. It has a lot of emotion in it though...that should make up for it! Hopefully. Enjoy~

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Five**: Everybody Loves

The first capture and contain mission. The first for capturing his own kind and locking them up like mules if they refused his word. Well, as it was said—there's always a first for everything. Pietro was trying his best to shrug off the hounding thoughts that lingered in his mind. He was thinking about Bella, the last time he had seen her—her face so sad. That image would be in his head for a long time.

"You're looking awfully sad, brother dearest." Wanda Maximoff spoke in a coy voice. When Pietro didn't respond to her she shrugged it off. As much as he hated to admit it, she was his sister. Nothing was changing that. Part of being a sister was knowing when your brother was down. Pietro wore his emotions on his sleeve. Wanda knew he was sad about leaving his girlfriend—but there was also a hint of down right fear. Even she was afraid.....

"Are you guys ready to drop?"

Pietro had just remembered that he was in a helicopter. In a helicopter, flying above Pennsylvania in their spanking new government tailored suits. Now, he remembered the extra bit of weight on his hip—that of a gun. He looked up from his hands, his eyes meeting that of Valerie Cooper. There she was, sitting smug as fuck in her seat, her legs crossed and her lips pressed together.

None of the Brotherhood answered the woman and she nodded her head, as if she had some sort of mental agreement. Pietro leaned over to his right, looking outside of the chopper and down to the ground. The house to him looked so familiar. He knew who lived here. Pietro couldn't help but feel that he was going to die.

"You know who we're going after, they've already voiced their disagreement toward the registration. You are ordered to go in and apprehend them, no questions asked."

At this point, Valerie Cooper was talking to herself. Each member of the Brotherhood had their own ideas about what was going to happen. As much as they didn't want to go through with things—they _had_ to. None of them wanted to be hauled off to jail, none of them wanted to be considered freaks to the outside world.

The helicopter began to lower and each member of the Freedom Force took in a deep breath. They pushed what they believed was right out of their minds and pushed in new thoughts. Thoughts of them working for the government. It was as real as can be. They were going to do this, there was no getting out of this.

Pietro got up out of his seat, his face stern and serious. He gripped the sides of the chopper and looked down back to the large house. He shook his head from side to side, still not believing what he was about to do....to _who_ he was doing this to.

"I'm sorry."

*****

He couldn't do anything. This was the first time in his life that he felt helpless. At this point, with the chopper coming down on his house—the o' too familiar mop of white hair---he _couldn't_ do anything. He wouldn't be able to protect himself, not with it being the middle of the afternoon and the sun blazing, he wouldn't be able to protect his wife.

"Lilia...just go hide somewhere." James turned around from the window to look over to his wife. "Are you deaf?"

"Are you?" Lilia shot back, slipping on her shoes. "You forget that I'm a mutant?"

James could feel the anger boiling up in him, but not because of his wife—but because of what was happening. It was because of who he was seeing out on his front lawn, gun on hip that was making him angry. "You're my _wife_. A husband takes care of his wife, sun up or not—I'm going to give that white haired asshole a good fight."

"And you want me to sit here and do what? Nothing?"

"No, goddammit Lilia, go call Alyce. Call the Professor." James shot another look outside, his eyes meeting that of Pietro and once more, his anger boiled up. He quickly made his way over to his wife and took her in his arms. He knew that she wanted to cry, a part of him did too. Just a small part. He placed a small kiss on his wife's head, rubbing her arms and rocking her back and forth.

"James....I'm not going to let you take them on your own. I'm here...we'll do this together." Lilia gently pulled away from her husband, placing a small kiss on his lips. While it was true that things would be against them just with the sun being up—James not being able to use his powers. Those government bastards had done their research...no, actually, Pietro had done his snitching.

"Are you ready?" James asked, cracking his knuckles and stretching his arms. He shot a look over to his wife, who had remained silent but had walked over to the window. She clenched her fists and almost immediately the whole house began to shake with her powers. Despite the situation, James couldn't help but smile.

"What was that saying?" James pondered out loud, as he took his place next to his wife. Every time he blinked Pietro and his group got closer and closer. Lilia could feel her heart beat in her chest, hard, a feeling she hadn't felt in ages. The feeling of adventure. The feeling of danger. The feeling to use her power to it's fullest extent. Lilia looked over to him, a million emotions in her face, and gave him a smirk.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn."

* * *

A/N: It's bright as day outside, James can't use his powers. But that doesn't mean he isn't going to kick some ass. Same for Lilia, she's not going down without a fight!


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six**: Counting Bodies Like Sheep

Only six more hours of freedom. Six more hours of being a mutant and not having to worry about registering. After those six hours every mutant's world would become significantly smaller. It was either sign or end up kissing the walls of a government jail. Already most of the kids in the Mansion were talking about rebelling against the act. These kids, some not even hitting their teens, were so simple minded. Sure, for other things being simple minded was a good thing—but when it came to this, it wasn't. Regardless of numbers or not, any group of mutants who were going to rebel were going to be taken out in minutes flat. It was just impossible.

Talk about being backed up into a corner.

Bella had passed her grieving stage and was now just plain angry. She had done the right thing and checked up on Kitty to see if the girl had come to her senses but, sadly, she hadn't. Kitty was still curled up in bed with her sister, Claire, caring for her like a mother. Coming out of Kitty's room, Bella had run into Julian...who seemed anything but worried.

"I was going to check on Claire and Kitty, but I'm guessing by the look on your face that they still want to be alone." Julian gave Bella a small smile and watched as she crossed her arms over her chest. She looked anything but welcoming.

"It's not like you're doing anything to help." Bella spoke, knowing that how she was talking was because she was still worked up over what Pietro had done to her. Immediately, she gave Julian an apologetic look. She didn't mean to come out the way she did, she just couldn't help it.

"Heh, well, they need their time alone. Claire has been dying to see Kitty and now that she's here and Kitty isn't doing too well, Claire wants to do whatever she can to help her. Who am I to interrupt that?"

Bella bit her lip. Julian had a point. She was still wrapped up in her feelings and right now, every guy who will cross her path would get the same bitchy treatment. They could all blame Pietro for making her turn into a sour tart.

"Well, you should just still check on them. Don't be stupid." The last line Bella had spoken, to her, seemed very John influenced. Would that be good or bad?

The only thing Julian in response was smile, which caused Bella to get annoyed. All this boy did was smile and it was goddamn annoying. Either he was good at hiding his feelings or had none at all.

"I'll take that advice." Julian added to this annoying smile and walked past Bella down the hall. She turned to see where he was going and when he walked past Kitty's room, it took her whole strength to not follow him and punch him a good one.

*****

Bobby Drake and Alyce Red were having their share of disagreements. Each of them had been fuming over their own problems, and as soon as they had passed each other in the hall, they took aim and fired. It wasn't anything personal per se, more of them just trying to get their frustrations out in the open. Something Alyce wasn't used to—usually because she ended up punching someone.

"Those are _your_ goddamn friends." Bobby made the first accusation. "Maybe if you would've stood over there nothing like _this_ would've happened."

"Oh, right. This is coming from a kid who was so far up Emma Frost's ass he couldn't see the sunlight."

Bobby let out a growl. "At least I didn't betray the entire team--"

"Wow, Bobby." Alyce let out a gigantic chuckle. "Last time I checked you did." She kept on with her fake mocking laugh until Bobby huffed and disappeared from her sight. Still laughing, Alyce made her way to a nearby stair case and plopped herself down. Her laugh immediately disappeared and her face grew stern and grim.

Maybe Bobby was right. Maybe if she had stood with the Brotherhood a lot of things that happened could've been avoided. She wouldn't be worrying about John and their past argument. Bella wouldn't be moping around because of Pietro. Maybe if she would've stayed there she could've talked all of them out of working with the government. Or not. Everything now was what if and maybe if.

Alyce pushed her bangs back from her face, rubbing her eyes and trying to make sense of everything. She still hadn't called her father to see how he was doing, especially with what was going on. She was still telling herself that both her father and step mother could take care of themselves if anything came up. But she had walked on the Brotherhood territory—would her parents being paying the consequences?

Alyce wasn't going to guess the answer. She promptly got up from where she sat and made her way to the phone booths. She picked up the phone and dialed her home number.

It rang and rang and rang.....

*****

The last time James had been knocked into a living room side table, he was seventeen years old. Even though his back was aching and his elbow had knocked into the phone, knocking it off the hook, he couldn't help but smile. What could he say? He loved the action. It had been too long.

The first to go from the Freedom Force was Toad. It was like taking candy from a baby. He was the first to run into the house. Lilia stopped him mid air and James came, like an angry rhino, and sent him flying back with a hard punch. He had been knocked out on the lawn for twenty minutes now.

Right now, James was handling Avalanche—the boy he knew as Kitty's boyfriend, and Pietro. Lilia was taking care of Fred and Wanda, and as far as James knew, she was kicking ass. She wasn't in his line of sight, most likely in the basement....._shit_, his brand new flat screen was down there. Oh yea, _now_ he was even more motivated.

James got up from the floor, rubbing his elbow—the funny bone sending small shocks up his arm. He cracked his back and let out a huff of a laugh, looking over to Avalanche with a smirk.

"Don't tell me your girlfriend put you in the dog house...and this is your way of dealing with it." Leave it to James to trash talk even when he couldn't use his powers. It was just eerie how the two were acting. They not once mentioned a single word but to James they spoke with their facial expressions.

Pietro looked down right scared, he had grown pale when James had knocked Toad out of the window. Avalanche looked just as scared, any minute it looked like he would tuck his tail in between his legs and run off. Well, he did start running—but not out of the house.

James picked his hand up in time to block Avalanche's punch. He was ready to deliver a rib shattering blow to Ave, when he was pushed back onto the floor, a hard kick to his stomach by none other than Pietro Maximoff himself.

Pietro still kicking and James still trash talking. "Man--" A deep breath. "--now I know what it's like to be in jail. Being ganged up by two men...." Huddled on his side, James managed to catch Pietro's boot in his hands, he wasted no time and sent his fist right toward Pietro's knee as he pulled his leg toward him.

Pietro's yelpish scream only confirmed one thing; Shattered knee cap.

"You come into my house--" A punch landing right on Pietro's stomach as he stumbled back. "--and expect me and my wife to _not _fight?" James getting up, Pietro on his knees—a punch to the face and he was on the floor.

"I don't give a fuck if you dated my niece or were best friends with Alyce or whatever the fuck. You come into my house and threaten me and my wife....it's on." James sent a kick over to Pietro's knee, for good measure and to get his message across, before he looked at Avalanche. The fact that the kid did nothing but just _stare_ caused James' blood to start bubbling hot.

"I don't need my powers to mess you up, kid." James took a step forward, Avalanche taking a step back. "In fact, you're lucky I don't have my powers right now. If I did—let me tell you—you'd probably all be **dead.**"

"Look, we don't have a choice in this." Avalanche finally spoke up, stumbling over the broken coffee table. As much as he wanted to sent the whole house tumbling down, Avalanche knew he couldn't. Not when he had been here. Not when he knew who lived here. He had the utmost respect for Alyce and her family and now look what he was doing—destroying their home. Attacking her parents when they were the most vulnerable.

"I'll give you five seconds to explain your bullshit." James growled, crunching his fists. To show that he wasn't joking he stepped on Pietro's kneecap, pressing down hard with his foot. Right now, he wasn't feeling any sort of remorse for this boy. He asked for it.

Pietro let out a groan, biting his lip so hard that he felt his teeth click together—blood gushing into his mouth. He had heard how intimidating James was, how strong he was—he didn't believe any of it until this point. When a de powered man had successfully taken hits from a mutant but also shattered his knee so he couldn't run anywhere. He would never again underestimate someone. Sure he could pump fast hits toward James with his hands, but the pain from his knee was so great he felt as if he would black out from it. He lifted his head up from the ground, just enough to strain his neck and look over to Avalanche, who was busy stumbling over his own words as he talked to James.

He rested his head back on the floor, clutching at James boot—his way, right now, of begging for James to _stop_ pushing on his knee. They had arrived at the home around three, they had about two and a half hours before the sun started to set—the sky getting darker. After that, Pietro was sure they were all going to be fucked. They thought they would take both of them out with ease, under twenty minutes was said. But they were wrong.

Tunnel vision was setting in and Pietro knew he was going to have a long sleep. He looked around the floor, only because there was nothing else to look at, and noticed the phone lying on the floor. The phone off the base and next to a potted plant. His senses fading but Pietro knew he was hearing something from that phone...and it wasn't a dial tone. With slow movements and a groan he reached out for the phone, his finger tips pulling the phone toward him.

"_Dad?! Answer the goddamn phone! DAD!"_

Pietro pushed the phone back across the floor and closed his eyes. A new thought in his head; How long would it take for Alyce to show up and send the entire Brotherhood to their graves?

* * *

A/N: Pietro's answer? About five minutes or less. Alyce is _that_ quick.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**: Done All Wrong

Lilia couldn't remember the last time she was so tired. Her arms felt like jelly and her legs couldn't hold her up for more than two seconds. Even though she had used her powers for most of the fighting that she did, her body wasn't used to it. It had been, months ago when she was in her prime, but settling down had caused her to grown rusty.

She was resting on the floor, laying over broken glass and sharp pieces of wood from the shattered computer desk. Lilia raised her hand to her face, groaning, wiping the blood that was gushing from her busted lip. She cranked her neck to the right, noticing the knocked out body of Wanda—taking her out was the most challenging. Lilia had taken out Frederick, thrown him right out into the woods some miles out with her power blast. Thinking about how she had used her powers caused Lilia to groan out once more. It felt like she had picked up Frederick with her own arms and thrown him out herself.

Her eyes were heavy and her shirt was wet, sticking to her body like tight saran wrap. Her fingers spasmed on their own and to Lilia it was a good thing—it meant her fingers weren't broken. Lilia had heard James on the upper level, sounding _very_ intimidating, along with Avalanche spilling his guts like beans and Pietro yelping out every few minutes. Lilia couldn't help but feel bad for the boys, who were probably still getting pummeled by James. Probably being said because Lilia's hearing wasn't the best of the best. She opened her eyes again and strained to look to the window—dusk.

A loud bang was heard, something or some_one_ hitting the floor with a great force. Footsteps coming down the steps, Lilia couldn't help but cringe. For all she knew it _wasn't_ James. Maybe it was Avalanche, coming down to check on his team mates and arrest her. Her body screamed out to move and Lilia tried her best to comply. She gripped at the glass covered floor, ignoring the sinking feeling of glass pushing into her skin, and moved her body back. She didn't know where she was going but moving was better than laying on the floor, doing nothing.

The digging, throbbing pain entering her back and pushing into her arms and hands caused Lilia to yelp out in pain. It was when she stopped and looked over to her legs that she released she hadn't moved anywhere. Not even an inch from where she lay.

Footsteps getting near, boots crunching over glass—stepping over the ruined washing machine and movies that had been thrown from their bookshelf cradle. The sound of heavy breathing, a sniffle, spit landing on the floor.

Her mind screamed out for her husband, but Lilia knew her words reached didn't reach him. Her mind was so jumbled, her words were probably heard by a complete stranger. Not knowing who was walking toward her was frightening. When her eyes grew clouded with tears, Lilia knew exactly how scared she was.

But she wasn't turned on her chest and arrested, she wasn't kicked, punched, or spit at. The only thing that happened caused her to cry out in relief—the feeling of being wrapped in the arms of your husband. To have him kiss your dirty face and hug onto you like he hadn't seen you in a million years. To be lifted up off the floor and carried.

"I have you, honey. Rest now. Everything is going to be o.k."

*****

The windows were shattered, the front door was knocked down. The garden was in ruins and the blueberry trees out front were pulled up from their roots and strewn across the road. From outside, one could see how wrecked the inside of the house was. From the inside, one could see the three worried looks coming from three X-Men.

Logan didn't know what to say to Alyce. What exactly could one say? Your house and family was attacked? That was painfully obvious from a block away. Logan took a glance toward Alyce and decided that it was best that he say nothing. It was Remy who stood next to her, but it looked like he too didn't know what to say. As Logan walked onto the front lawn he caught the left over scent of Mortimer Toynbee. The smell but no Toad. Had they been picked up?

"I can't believe this..." Alyce breathed out in a mutter, her blue eyes looking at her broken down house. Words couldn't express how _scared_ she was. Scared to see her step mother and father on the floor in a heap of their own blood. The thought of her father caused her to look up toward the sky—the sun finally setting and the clouds disappearing on the horizon. It calmed her for a bit, but Alyce knew that the Brotherhood had gotten here long before the sun had started to set.

"Remy can only imagine what you're feeling." Remy's worried eyes looked over to Alyce, a sad frown on his face. "But no matter what you're feeling, Remy thinks you need to go inside and face it."

"It's like a dream, Remy. It's so cliché to say—but it's the only way to explain the feeling." A small step forward and Alyce looked back to Remy. "You never think something like this could happen to you."

"_Mon ami_, Remy has learned that if you always fear for the worst, nothing can ever catch you by surprise." He nodded to her and she gave him a slight smile, something that Remy didn't think Alyce would do—given the possibility that her family might be dead—but she did, anyway.

"I'm ready." Alyce spoke, reassuring Remy. The two finally began to walk toward the house, following Logan into the house.

*****

Maybe because it _felt_ like a dream was why she wasn't feeling worried. She wasn't feeling worried, scared, sad, angry—nothing. Alyce was sure that if she looked into a mirror, her eyes would be glazed over and she could look dazed out.

No one was in the house.

The living room floor was risen up from where it lay, no doubt because of Avalanche. The entire hallway leading down to the bedrooms was split down the middle and Alyce walked through it, stepping in the same place where Pietro had dug his feet. Holes knocked into the wall, here and there. The slight smell of blood and sweat caused her stomach to churn.

A sharp whistle brought Alyce back to earth. She looked back down the hall to see Logan standing, eyes still looking around.

"Do you think they were taken?" Alyce asked, beating Logan to the punch.

"It's hard to say, but it could be a possibility. How are 'ya feeling, though?" Logan had to admit that Alyce's lack of emotion bothered him. He had seen the girl get shit angry and now, at a time where he thought it was the _most_ understood, she was as calm as a monk.

"Look, I know you think I'm supposed to be...I don't know, screaming at the top of my lungs or crying, but I'm fine. I'm just fine."

"Your _parents_ are missing. It's Lilia's blood on the floor and your father's on the stairs and you're going to tell me that you're fine?"

Now, Alyce was getting a bit angry. Just a bit. "Of course I'm worried. But crying and screaming and being cradled and cooed at isn't going to do anything. We know who did this and that's enough. I _know_ my dad and my mother are o.k. Maybe **you** don't but I do."

Alyce hadn't realized that she had gotten so close to Logan, her finger jabbing at his chest with anger as she spoke. "At this point..." Alyce muttered to Logan, lowering her finger and giving him a sad look. "... I have to keep sane for Bella."

"Hey!" Remy's shout coming from downstairs. "Hey!"

A shared look then it was Logan running down the stairs, with Alyce on his heels. Their eyes caught Remy's figure, near the sliding door that lead to the back woods. Remy's emotion was that of anger and happiness, as he was pointing outside with a slight smile on his face.

"Remy has found something!"


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**: Everything Ends

"Remy has found something!......He _thinks_...."

The last two words were said with uncertainty. Remy wasn't sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him or if what he was actually see was real. He was squinting so much that it looked like his eyes were really closed. He had to admit to himself that he was actually a bit scared to take a foot out of the house. What if the Brotherhood were outside—waiting to ambush them?

"Remy...." Alyce's voice, standing right next to him and looking. "...I don't see anything but back woods."

"But, it's what is _in_ the backwoods, _mon cheri_, that Remy has found." The only reason why Remy couldn't exactly explain what he was seeing was because he didn't believe it. It looked like something out of a cartoon. A growl from Logan caused Remy to shudder and he blinked a few times before meeting the Wolverine's glare.

"Look here, kid, you can either spit it out or get it forced out." For emphasis, Logan crossed his arms over his chest—looking _very_ intimidating. The two of them engaged in a staring contest, didn't notice that it was Alyce who was already out in the woods, walking toward what Remy was pointing too.

For the longest minute, her blue eyes couldn't register what she was seeing. It was a tree, alright. But it was _what_ was _in_ the tree that officially had her stumped. She stopped a few feet away from said tree, looking at an impossibly large backside and two stubby legs attached to two small feet. Literally, _in_ the tree. Frederick Dukes.

"Fred?" Alyce called out, taking another step forward and to the side to get another view point. She didn't know if she should be happy to see him or not. As she walked to the other side of the tree, she saw the front of him—knocked out cold, most likely from the impact. He had a terrible gash in his forward, blood dripping down his face and onto the ground below. Immediately, Alyce felt bad. She was sure that the only reason Frederick was in this Freedom Force group was because he didn't know any better. And since it looked like Fred had been here for a while, Alyce concluded that it was Lilia who had blasted him through the tree.

"Holy shit, so pigs can fly." Logan muttered as he ran up toward Alyce.

"Pigs can also get stuck in trees, _mon ami_."

Alyce could feel her defenses rising, but she kept her mouth shut and voiced her frustrations in her mind. Frederick was anything but a pig. From what she had seen of him, he was the most gentle guy at the entire Brotherhood. A guy who hadn't a clue as to what to do with himself, and often followed Pietro with a blind eye. Another victim.

He was knocked out cold and there was just no way of getting him out of where he was, also no way of getting information until he woke up. Ignoring Logan and Remy—who had started telling more jokes and started walking back toward the house—Alyce placed her hands on either side of the tree. She couldn't help her mother and father but she could help Frederick. It was the least she could do.

She closed her eyes and concentrated, black goo coming out of her hands and sticking to the tree. It wrapped around the sleeping Blob and when she opened her eyes—he was gone, right now appearing in the lower levels of the Mansion. Hopefully when he woke up, Fred would be able to tell Alyce everything. Seeing a friendly face would probably send him into ecstatics.

*****

Soon, the entire state of New York was going to be in a state of chaos. Hundreds, if not _thousands_, of mutants would be crawling all over—destroying everything in their path. If mutants couldn't be heard when they were talking as civilized beings then they would be heard through violence. If the human race thought mutants to be dangerous now, just wait until they saw them....soon, _very_ soon.

Erik Lehnsherrhad a plan. But it was Magneto who was going to run it. Erik had long since learned that acting like a regular human got him no where. Even though he was a mastermind it meant nothing if people didn't fear him. This is where Magneto was born, born and taking the place of Erik Lehnsherr. He wasn't alone now. He didn't have to worry about convincing his pathetic son and daughter to take their place beside him—not when he had the teaming numbers of the Morlocks at his side.

The Morlocks, a vast group of severely disfigured mutants—so disfigured that they had fled to the safety of abandoned tunnels under Manhattan. No longer would they have to fear being in the open, no longer would they have to fear being judged by how they looked.

They were angry. They wanted their revenge on the human race.

*****

Just to think that Bella was actually having her second thoughts about John. Just when she thought it was time to sit down and have a good talk with him, he was no where in sight. Bella had searched high and low for the Pyro but it was like he had vanished into thin air.

So here Bella was, practically on the verge of hysterics, sitting in the mansion's day room. She was just getting over Pietro leaving her when the news of her uncle and aunt's attack slammed right into her face. Alyce had left to go find out what had happened, and to Bella, it was taking too long for her to come back. John was a ghost and everything in the mansion was just hectic. Hundreds of kids were packing up and leaving in their parent's cars, going back home. Other kids had left on their own accord—thinking the mansion was anything but safe. Even as Bella sat in the day room, kids still walked around with their things on their back.

"Bella! I thought I'd find you in here."

Bella looked up to see Claire, her face worried but mixed with relief. She quickly took her place next to Bella, on the couch and pushed her brown hair behind her ears.

"Did something happen?" Bella couldn't help but ask. Claire wouldn't come running into the day room for nothing. If something was happening, Bella wouldn't be the least bit surprise.

"The Professor just told me to find you...."

Bella hated being right.

"....he said that it was urgent that I find you and bring you to the lower levels. A lot of the kids from the mansion are already down there. We need to go." Claire got up from her seat, tugging on Bella's arm and her face suddenly twisting in fear.

Blindly, Bella let Claire guide her though the halls. The kids who had started leaving were now running all over the place, some of them screaming at the top of their lungs, others huddled in a corner or in a room. A large bang was heard, sounding as if the entire mansion had been plucked off the ground and slammed back to earth. Both Bella and Claire falling to their knees and this time it wasn't Claire grabbing Bella, it was the opposite. Being with the X-Men had taught Bella a thing or two about quick reacting.

In one swift movement, Bella helped Claire off the floor and headed toward the elevators. She called out to the kids who were running in hysterics—some of them following and some of them not. Finally getting to the elevator, pressing the button as quick as she could, Bella tried her best to calm everyone down.

The sound of a booming helicopter deafened everyone, along with a sheer blinding light flooding the mansion's halls. The sound of windows breaking and more screaming. The elevator finally opening and everyone packing in so tight, Bella couldn't breathe. Alyce wasn't back yet, neither was Remy, Logan or John. All of this was happening......the world had gone to complete, utter, **shit**.

"....Come out with your hands up and conflict resolution can be avoided. All we want is your complete cooperation. However, if you **do not **cooperate we will be _forced_ to act with violence. We will not hesitate to shoot......we will _not_ hesitate to kill....."


End file.
